Retribution
by Undeniable Mystique
Summary: Haunted by a mysterious woman who stirs disturbing memories, she seeks to escape the truth. Being dropped in an unknown world full of sorcery and combat sure as hell isn't going to help. But it might turn out to be fun, right?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm back! This, as some of you may recognize, is a re-write of my old fic called Edge of Retribution. I've planned the whole thing out better, and thus avoided the plot holes that were prominent in the old version. Yay!

I realize that it starts out rather slow, but I promise that it picks up. Please review :)

Rated T for language and violence.

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~PROLOGUE~

Several drops of sweat beaded down my forehead as I regarded the multiple-choice test question in front of me. _Tap tap tap _went the pen in my twitchy fingers as I scanned the possibilities. _Which answer?_ Well, option 'a' was out of the question, and 'd' didn't even make sense, leaving two options up for debate.

Total and utter panic; this is why I loathed multiple-choice tests! _Come on, focus._ I didn't much care for tests such as this, but this one I felt was imperative to my future well-being.

I gulped and looked up from my paper at the students littered around me. Nearly all of them had their heads bowed to the notes laid out on their desks. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

Why class had to be held in this dungeon of a room, I would never figure out. The pungent aroma of seafood pasta probably didn't help the matter. I cast a glance at the instructor sitting at the front of the room, who glowered at me through a mouthful of pasta. This is what I got for sitting in the front row.

Disgusted, I immediately brought my attention back to my own work. _Two possible choices; it shouldn't be this difficult, dammit!_

Suddenly, a shadow and a hand appeared out of nowhere and snatched away my precious questions.

"Hey! What the he-" I choked on my words upon seeing a pair of glowering steel-gray eyes. _Aw crap, I'm in for it now._

The TA scanned the magazine article with beady eyes and his frown deepened. "What kind of friend are you?" He paused to glare at me before continuing. "You're at a party. Your best friend's boyfriend makes a move on you, what do you do?" He grit his teeth at me before glaring back at the magazine clutched in his skinny fingers. "A: flirt back, it's harmless after all. B: explain your loyalty to your friend and walk away. C: Slap him across the face and immediately tell your friend. D: don't do anything, it's none of your business." He stopped reading and took a deep breath. I sunk deeper into my chair.

_What kind of friend would do nothing? Honestly!_

"I didn't realize we were studying for a _Flare_ exam, or I would have brought my own copy."

The TA (James, or Jake, or some such name) slammed the magazine in front of me with enough force to cause my hair to jump. _Here it comes. _A quick desperate gaze around the room revealed my friend Rachael giving me a sympathetic frown.

All hell broke loose then. Or perhaps it was just James blowing up. Same thing.

"I'm sorry that my class isn't _interesting_ enough!" his face puffed up like an angry cat, "But-there's-a-reason-I-come-here-at-9am-everyday! IsweartoGodyouwillbe-" At that point, his voice got so high-pitched and quick that it was basically gibberish.

I was in no mood to listen to J-babble; why I'd even bothered going to class was beyond me. Instead, I found myself wishing I'd overslept during my nap out in the courtyard, or at least had someone else hand in the end of term assignment so I wouldn't have to sit in this sweltering classroom for two hours with Jerkass Jake. It was the final tutorial for the semester, and pointless from the moment he had stepped inside:

"Morning, class! I thought we could do something fun today. You're all to write an evaluative paragraph about me." He'd flicked his greasy hair out of his eyes. "Of course this has nothing to do with the course, but I thought it'd be a nice way to end the semester. Aren't I just a tool like that?"

Well, he hadn't said the last part.

Now, as a lovely shower of spittle rained down on me, I flinched and put a hand up to shield my eyes. _Oh my God, how long has that been there?_ Sticking out from between his two front teeth was something green and leafy looking. It was quite enchanting in a car-crash kind of way, what with the way it kept bobbing with each word Jake spoke. _Must. Not. Stare…_

He banged his hands on the table and leaned in closer. I instinctively pushed back my chair.

"Since you don't have a scholarship to maintain, you think you don't have to do the assignment, huh?" He glared at me for a few seconds, as if expecting an answer. But I realized this was one of those rhetorical questions so I just stared at him blankly, fighting the urge to pinch my nose. I mean the guy's breath reeked of onions.

"We can't all run to daddy for money, we pay for school out of our own pockets," he spat.

My eyes widened as his comment sunk in. "Excuse me?" I abruptly stood up.

He looked around the room, then lowered his voice, "You're nothing but a spoiled rich kid who doesn't deserve this education. Now get the hell out of my classroom."

My immediate response was to introduce his glasses-covered eyes to my fist, but I didn't do that. Instead, I picked up my books and laptop and started packing them in my bag. My mind screamed silent insults at Jake, but I bit my tongue. There were about twenty other students in the classroom, all of whom I could feel staring.

"You need to floss, by the way!" I screamed, and triumphantly walked out. Not the best of insults, but whatever.

Sighing, I shook my head and stepped out into the fluorescent-lit hallway. The squeaking of my boots on the linoleum floor was the only sound that sliced the emptiness of the narrow hallway, as I made my way towards the double metal doors leading out to the courtyard.

_Who the hell does he think he is calling me spoiled? _Just because my parents were doctors and we lived in a nice house and had nice things… okay, maybe I was a bit spoiled. But all that had changed once I'd started university and moved out. Having my parents invest in my tuition costs was one thing, but letting them pay for my rent and living expenses didn't seem fair, especially since they hadn't wanted me to move out in the first place. _But I had to move out, there's no way I'm commuting all the way out here for school. I mean have you looked at gas prices nowadays? And no way am I taking the subway! _

I sighed. The price of gas wasn't the reason I'd decided to move out and I knew it. I'd needed some space from my parents, guilt or no guilt, but thinking about that always led down a depressing road straight to a tub of Ben and Jerry's chocolate-chip-cookie-dough and solitary confinement in my bedroom.

I shook my head vigorously, as if the thoughts would simply fall out of my hair and onto the floor, and pushed on the humongous building door.

At the exact same moment, someone thumped me in the back with an accompanying "Hey!"

I turned around to face Rachael, who wore an amused smirk on her freckled face. She opened her mouth, but I cut her off.

"It's not like the assignment was gonna be marked," I whined, "and be sure I use the term assignment very loosely."

She shook her blonde head and clicked her tongue. "Don't get your knickers twisted. I'm just amazed at your insubordination." She grabbed my arm and led me out the doors, and we were suddenly hit with the smell of damp grass and dew.

I rolled my eyes at her vocabulary, but couldn't hold back the grin that tugged at my lips. "Why, thank you. It's about time I rebelled. It's not my bloody fault my dad didn't hire him!"

Rachael nodded in agreement and gave me a sympathetic smile. Our TA for Social Psychology, Jake, had applied for an internship with my father about a month ago, and had been super nice to me – until Dad hired someone else.

Rachael and I stepped onto the stone pathway that stretched from the school building towards the off-campus residence building. Fog snaked over the school grounds in thin wisps, moving almost ominously through the Willow barks overhanging our path. The sky threatened rain with gray clouds that menacingly hovered above our heads. I instinctively pulled the hood of my U of T sweatshirt over my hair.

"I wish you could stay for the weekend." Rachael turned to me and we shared a long, suffering look about the latest injustice done by my overprotective parents: making me go back home right after exams ended.

"It's okay, you can spend some quality time with, uh, Mark."

"Mike."

"Yeah." I turned to her apologetically, but she brushed it aside. Rachael knew I couldn't remember a name to save my life. Besides, it wasn't as if I'd actually ever met the guy she'd been dating for two months. I proceeded to point this out to Rachael, but she just shrugged in response.

I scoffed. "You know, all this mystery is really off-putting. I mean, it's not as if I'm your best friend and practically tell you everything about my life, even when you-"

"Nate, shh!" Rachael put her hand up in my face.

I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to deliver a sarcastic retort when I realized that her attention was clearly elsewhere. She stood gazing intently between the leaves of a willow tree, as if expecting it to spontaneously combust or something. But all of a sudden, the leaves rustled, followed by a popping sound, and Rachael jumped back right onto my foot.

She turned to me, surprised.

"What the hell?" I cried.

Her celery-green eyes wide, Rachael pointed between the trees. "I think I saw something."

I narrowed my eyebrows; half wondering if she was just pulling my chain, but she genuinely looked scared. I turned and pushed myself within the thick leaves to find –

"Nothing." I faced Rachael. "What did you see?"

She shook her head and gulped. "I don't know. It-it was probably nothing. This fog, it makes me nervous." She gave me a weak smile.

Before I could stop myself, I chuckled. "I knew we shouldn't have watched that killer fog movie."

Rachael shuddered. "I still hate you for putting me through that, by the way."

"How else are you gonna get over your fears?"

"I'm not _going to_ get over it. Plus, I've vowed not to watch ambiguously titled movies anymore, especially if _you_ want to watch them."

I mock-gasped. "After all the effort I go through to download the movie…"

Our horror-movie banter continued all the way back to our residence apartment building, which was housed just across the street from campus. It was, unsurprisingly, deserted, and I found myself wishing the weather wasn't so crappy. Most kids had finished their exams, and should have been outside, lying around in the backyard or having barbeques or other end of term activities. But no, most students were cooped up indoors, or had gone home for the summer holidays already.

"I can't believe we're officially done first year," Rachael whispered as I followed her into our apartment. She flung the keys on a table by the door and traipsed into the living room to collapse on the couch. "I should totally kidnap you for the summer!"

I laughed. "Yup, and my parents can send out search parties and have your ass arrested." I yelled back as I unlaced my boots in the hallway.

"Nah, they'd never find us! We'll be like Thelma and Louise, except younger and cooler… and you know, without the crime stuff."

Smirking, I shook my head. _Rachael and her analogies._ With a little difficulty, I peeled off my chunky rain boots and stepped into the living room to be hit with a sudden chill. "Did you turn the fan-"

_Splat_ went my bag on the carpet as my eyes fell on the woman. She stood by the window, and if Rachael hadn't been gaping open-mouthed at her, I would have believed she was a trick of the light. At first she appeared to be trembling, but a second later I realized that she was strangely translucent; I could see the maroon curtains _through _her, like looking at a distorted coin through murky water. She stepped forward at a glacial pace, as if sudden movements would shatter her.

Paralyzed by her stabbing, tawny gaze, I stood rooted as she slowly walked towards me, her form flickering as if she were the unreliable glow of a faulty light bulb.

Familiarity. _Where have I seen her before?_ My mind would not produce the memory, like déjà vu, except I was certain it wasn't just a trick of the mind.

She was only a couple of feet away now, and reached out her arm as if to touch me. "Give yourself to the sorceress." Her voice, low and snake-like, drifted across the room and wrapped around me. She inched closer…

"Hey!"

A sudden pop sliced the air as the woman disappeared, a millisecond before a cushion went flying through the air where she had just been standing.

I snapped out of the hypnotic daze.

"I knew it! I knew I wasn't just imagining it! That's what I saw in the trees! Who – no, _what_ the hell was that thing? Did you see, Natasha? Did you see her wings? Oh my God, I've never seen anything like that! What if she comes back? What if-"

"Rachael!" I grabbed her by her narrow shoulders and shook her. "Here, sit down." I gently sat her down on the couch, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders. Feeling unusually calm, I tried to wrack my brain for the memory that would not appear. "Did you see her come in?"

Rachael stared at me, and then shook her head. "I was lying on the couch when all of a sudden there was a draft. I thought the window must be open, so I got up and – and – look, that's what I saw before too!"

"Before?"

"When we were walking home!" Rachael sat bolt upright and brought her hands to her cheeks. "What if we're being haunted?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Rachael…"

"Think about it, Nate, how else do you explain a woman who disappears into thin air?" She got up and started pacing in front of me. "She was a ghost!"

"No…" I bit my lip, because something tugged at my mind. _Two years ago… with Noah… driving home, then suddenly swerving to avoid someone standing in the middle of the road, hitting a tree, the smell of exhaust fumes mingled with blood... then darkness, except... that woman, she was somehow connected…_ I rubbed my temples to free the sudden sharp pain. This was the first time I'd remembered details about the accident.

Rachael watched me with narrowed, concerned eyes and sat down again.

I gulped. "Look, can we just forget about it? I – um – we're not hurt or anything, so there's no use thinking about it right?"

Rachael frowned, and then nodded reluctantly. "Okay… but there's no way I'm staying here alone. I'm gonna call Mike."

"You mean I finally get to meet the infamous Michael?"

Rachael shook her head as she flipped out her cell phone. "Are you kidding?" She punched in a few numbers and mashed the phone to her ear. "I'm going over to his place. Hey Mike? Look, I need to stay with you tonight." She got up and walked away into her room, all the while gibbering on about ghosts and haunting.

Left alone with my thoughts, I sighed and leaned back into the suede couch. I flipped on the television, but my thoughts invaded. _The sorceress…_ Who was she and what did she want with me?

Several hours later, I parked my Volkswagen Bug in the freshly paved upper-year students residence parking lot. A short row of townhouses faced the lot, and students shuffled around, packing things in their cars, or waiting for their rides to arrive.

My stomach curled uncomfortably as I scanned the students to find Trevor. On my insistence, he'd agreed to drive back home with me, and in the process ditched his friends for the weekend. Back home, we practically lived next door to each other, so it made sense to make only one trip. I shook the guilt away. _It's not like he really minds._

I pulled out my cell phone to call him and my stomach instantly dropped. _Nineteen missed calls?_ Aside from about two, they were all from my parents. I ignored the notifications and dialed Trevor's number.

Soon enough, Trevor emerged, struggling, from the front door of his town house.

I immediately went over to help him. "Gee whiz, couldn't find bigger suitcases?" I asked as I took one of the cases from his hand.

"Hello to you too, Grassy."

I raised an eyebrow. He was usually cleverer with his nicknames.

He shrugged. "Short for Grasshopper. Gimme a break, I just wrote an exam."

He was right, of course. Poor kid had written his calculus exam this afternoon, one that I was sure had been brutal. I asked him how it went as we dragged the suitcases to my car.

"It's finished is all I care about."

I nodded and opened the back door, and with a grunt, managed to haul the suitcases inside, both of which practically took up the entire backseat.

Trevor "helped" by slamming the car door so loudly that I openly cringed. For a tall, skinny guy, he sure had an awful habit of putting strength into the most inappropriate activities. _God knows what he's like in b-._

"OKAY, well I'm gonna go and drop my key off." With that, he practically jogged towards the Residence Adviser building, but not before giving me a sort of disgusted smirk that plainly said, "Yes, you idiot, you did just say that out loud."

_Whoops_.

As I strapped myself into the car, my mind drifted to thoughts about the previous year. Leaving home and starting university had felt like a giant, foggy bubble had spit me out into the throws of freedom. I couldn't entirely trace the exact time my parents had become overbearingly protective, but I felt like they'd completely changed around the time I turned eighteen. I guessed I couldn't entirely blame them either, they'd already lost a son. _But don't they get that they're just driving me away?_ I mean, the point of my moving away had been to gain some independence, but eight months of my father choosing my courses for me, and my mother keeping a microscopic eye on my study and social habits proved that I wouldn't be gaining that coveted independence anytime soon. _It also doesn't help that they call me, like, a bazillion times a day either._

_SLAM!_

I jumped about ten feet and turned to glare at Trevor as he strapped himself in the passenger's seat.

"Hey, it's gonna rain, we probably shouldn't take the highway," he said, totally oblivious to the fact that he'd most likely just shattered my eardrums. He started to run his fingers through his curly brown hair, which was puffing up because of the humidity.

I nodded, started the car and pulled into the main road. Sure enough, raindrops soon started drizzling down onto the roof of the car, accompanied by low rumbles of thunder.

Watching Trevor fiddle with the CD player automatically brought a smirk to my face, because knowing him, he'd take five hundred hours just to pick a song. Several minutes later, he finally decided on an instrumentally-heavy Coldplay song and settled back in his seat. He whipped out his cell phone and started texting away.

I chewed on my lip, wondering whether I should mention what had happened earlier. I wished Rachael hadn't been there, because then I could have just brushed the vision of that woman off as a post-exam-stress induced hallucination or something. _The Sorceress…_ why did I feel like I'd seen her before?

"Hey Trevor," I called hesitantly.

Without looking up from his phone, he grunted.

"Um, do you remember-uh-"

He snapped his phone shut and turned to me, tilting his head, dark blue eyes narrowed questioningly.

I hesitated, took a deep breath, and decided that, yes; I did have to bring it up. "After the accident, did I ever, you know, say something weird?"

A long, awkward pause before he answered, "You mumbled a lot. Why?"

I exhaled slowly.

"Wait, are you remembering something?" he asked eagerly.

I glanced briefly to find him watching me intently. This was the first time I'd even mentioned the accident since it happened. Fixing my gaze on the road ahead of me, I continued, "I don't know… did I ever say something about… a woman?"

"You were saying a whole bunch of things."

"Like what?"

He didn't respond, and when I turned to look at him, he wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Trevor, what did I say?"

"I-I don't really know. You kept mumbling about how you couldn't save him in time," he met my wide-eyed glance and hastily added. "It wasn't your fault Natasha!"

I shook my head impatiently. "What else?"

"That's pretty much it. The doctor wouldn't let us visit until you calmed down. Are you remembering?"

I released a deep breath, swallowed, then said, "No." I glanced at Trevor, and seeing him disappointed, added, "I just had flashes of it. Like, trying to avoid someone on the road, then crashing…" an involuntary shudder overtook my body and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

The drizzle had now become torrential, rolling down the windshield and drowning out the serene music with bullet-like tapping. There was a distinct lack of other cars on the road. The road beneath the tires was rough and slightly bumpy. Roars of thunder pierced the night, along with flashes of lightning that threatened to consume the sky with every clap. I wiped the fogged-up windshield with my sweater sleeve and squinted into the night. We were driving over a bridge now, I noticed, even though the headlights only allowed up to five feet of visibility.

"Here," said Trevor as he turned the heating all the way up, soon filling the car with vanilla-scented air freshener that was clipped on to the air vent.

"Thanks." I sent him a small smile, hoping he wouldn't ask me any more questions.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Natasha."

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I know." _But I do._

"He wouldn't have wanted you to." His hand came to rest on my shoulder.

I looked at him then, mouth open to tell him he didn't know how it was; that I'd crashed the car when Noah hadn't even wanted me to drive; that I was responsible for his death, so what if I couldn't remember the details? That I'd killed my brother and nothing anyone could say would erase that. I wanted to tell him all of it, but one look at his concerned, sincere face convinced me that he'd been holding off saying those words for a long time.

Slowly, biting my tongue, I grinned, then nodded to let him know that I appreciated what he said, even if I didn't believe it.

When I turned back to the road-

_Ba-bump._

Her.

I gasped and swerved to the right. Trevor screamed something, but the screeching tires cut him off. _No…_ my breath caught in my throat as the car sped out of control until-

_CRASH!_

A flash of white consumed my vision as the airbag exploded, pinning me to the seat. I fervently batted the cursed object away and turned to the only thing that mattered: Trevor.

He wasn't moving.

My breath caught in my throat, but a moment later Trevor shook his head and turned to look at me, eyes wide and shining, and I remembered to breathe again.

"Are you-" I cleared my throat and tried again, "Are you okay?"

"What happened?" His voice trembled.

I gulped. "I-there was... I don't know." I unbuckled my seatbelt with shaking hands. "You're okay?"

He nodded. "My head kinda hurts, but that's it. What about you?"

I absently nodded, fighting back the urge to throw my arms around him and apologize.

Instead, I gulped down the lump in my throat. "Stay here, I'm going to see how bad it is." And without waiting for him to respond, I flung the door open and pushed myself out into the drenching rain. "Could you call home?"

He nodded, and when I was sure he had busied himself with his phone, I locked the car and shut my door.

The sky split open in thunderous flashes of lightning as rain pelted down in torrents, making everything darker than it should have been, and soaking me almost instantly.

The crash hadn't been so bad; only the front bumper having been really damaged. It was unhinged and dangled dangerously between the car and the cement wall of the bridge. The passenger side headlight had shattered from impact, and the other one kept flickering ominously. Exhaust fumes curled in the wavering light, mingling with the heavy smell of rain in an almost intoxicating way.

A shiver ran through my body and I wrapped my arms around myself.

Footsteps, then, slow and squelching, directly behind me.

"I thought I told you to sta-"

Horror stopped the words in my throat as I turned around.

Enchantingly translucent, the woman stepped closer in her glacial, gliding gait. She wore an expression of glorious victory on her face as she gazed at me with binding, tawny eyes.

I stood rooted, unable to utter another word, unable to look away from her flickering, see-through form. Raindrops seemed to fall _through _her, leaving her magically dry while everything around her succumbed to the drench. Her naked feet seemed to glide above the ground, while the hem of her long, scarlet dress swished behind her.

My breath caught in my throat as I noticed a pair of ink-black, feathered wings casually sticking out of her back.

She smiled, then, a gesture that was both beautiful and terrifying, and I knew at that moment that this was the last face I would ever see. She reached for me with long, pointed fingers, and lay her cold, hard hands on my temples. _Why is her touch so prominent?_

I squeezed my eyes shut in the desperate hope that when I opened them again, this wouldn't be happening; that I'd be back in class, or still sleeping safely in my bed. But what one wishes and what one gets are often entirely different, and when I opened my eyes again, the last thing I did see was the woman.

A dull tug prodded at my head, as if an invisible hand was trying to reach in and grab my thoughts. But then the tug became sharp, stabbing pain, spreading throughout my body. Tingling numbness replaced the pain, as everything became far off; I felt as if my soul was being sucked out of my skin.

Over-encompassing darkness pressed into me from every direction conceivable, before I lost control of myself and lost consciousness.

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A/N: If you've made it this far, you'll notice that this is an OC fic, where an unknown falls into the FFVIII world. Boo! Hiss! Is it worth reading ahead? One way to find out, right?

Reviews will be highly appreciated and cherished for all eternity :)


	2. Waking up is hard to do

A/N: A great big thanks to KingofHeartless'09 and Dudemeister for the reviews! Keep them coming, because they're just as much fun to read as writing this story :)

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Waking up was at once abrupt and painful, and the first thing I realized was that my body was paralyzed. Futile attempts at movement drove me to the conclusion that I wasn't fully awake yet; that I was in between that stage of sleep and awake which tricks your mind into believing you no longer have control over your body.

This realization allowed me to let out a few breaths, and the numbness in my body started to subside. A chalky scent like burnt paper wafted around me, mixed with something coppery that was vaguely familiar. The slow ascent of my senses calmed me down and I inched my eyes open. Hazy blue blurs soon materialized into a bright afternoon sky, and the squishy feel of damp grass beneath me made me figure that I must have been lying in the school courtyard again. The sounds of students yelling in the distance confirmed this.

I sighed, realizing that it was probably still morning; meaning that I had to get up and get to class. _Aw man, I don't want to face Jake today._

Defeated: I knew that there was no getting out of this class. For all I knew, the instructor would probably take marks off for cutting. Sluggishly, I brought my arm above my head to check my wristwatch.

_What the?_

Instead of my watch, bright red cuffs covered my wrist, attached to a navy blue sleeve that didn't look familiar in the slightest. I rubbed my eyes and propped myself up on my elbows.

Panic then, fire-hot and debilitating, clutched at the breath I'd been about to exhale.

Something silver stuck out from the middle of my chest, and all at once stabbing pain appeared there, as if brought on by the sight of the knife. I gaped at the weapon, dumbstruck as how it hadn't woken me up earlier. Shock: that's what made me sit up and reach for the knife in blurry movements.

I grabbed the handle with deft fingers, ignoring the tears that stung my eyes, and started to pull. Sobs escaped my throat as the blade passed through bone and skin. Shudders overtook me as a chill descended over my body. I could feel every inch of metal exiting my body, until finally it was completely out. Numb fingers dropped the knife and reached to undo the buttons of a navy blue collared jacket I didn't remember putting on, much less owning.

Blood oozed out of the cut in thin rivulets and ran down the ivory skin. _Ivory?_ I must have lost a lot of blood to be that pale. The cut itself was about two inches wide and right below my collarbone. _I could have died…_ the knife must have missed my heart by inches. _Who did this?_

That was when I realized that I wasn't alone. A shadow fell over me, and on instinct I grabbed the knife lying on the floor and pushed myself off the ground faster than I should have. I buckled as pain shot through my body. Gray and red flecks danced around my vision for a few seconds and I blinked several times.

Instinctively, I jumped back as a gloved hand reached for my shoulders. The movement caused a groan of pain to escape my lips and I tumbled to the ground in a heap. The flecks in my vision went haywire and I squeezed my eyes shut to control the thudding in my temples.

"Izzy!" a deep voice; accompanied by an arm that prevented my back from hitting the ground.

The next thing I knew was a chilling sensation that accumulated itself around my chest, and soon my entire body started to tingle. _What's happening?_

I snapped my eyes open just in time to see pale blue sparkles surrounding my body, and when the sparkles subsided, I found myself staring at the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Strands of dark hair fell messily into his stunning honey-coloured eyes, which showed the same concern as the frown on his full, round lips.

_Aw crap, I'm dead, aren't I?_

"Are you an angel?" I blurted out, grinning widely, because if I was dead, I must have made it to Heaven after all.

He bit his lip and narrowed his eyes before helping me sit up.

Feeling woozy, I clung onto his arm to keep from toppling backwards.

"Here," the angel whispered as he handed me a glass vial filled with a bright green substance, and told me to drink as I sent him a confused look.

I stared at the vial. It looked harmless enough, but hadn't I always been told _not_ to take things from strangers?_ Well, I'm probably dead already, so why not? Plus, I'm pretty sure angels are good guys._

I uncorked the vial and downed the gel-like, tasteless contents. Again, my body started to tingle with unexpected force, and before I could even think of panicking, a feeling of renewal overcame me and my head cleared. I took a few deep breaths and blinked.

"Better?" he asked. I could now clearly see he was just a regular guy; a really pretty one, but definitely not a spiritual, supernatural being. He watched me warily through narrowed eyes.

Hesitantly, I looked down at the wound. _What?_ It had disappeared! Only the scar remained, stitched up over the skin as if it had been healing for days. I looked back at the boy, dazed. "Did you fix it?"

He gave me a concerning look, as if he didn't understand the question.

I tried again, and everything I could think of came tumbling out, "Where am I? Who are you? Thanks for this drink thingy, I feel a lot better. Is it okay if I call you Angel?"

He gave me one of those looks people reserve only for the weirdest of weirdos. "…Right. We've been sent the order to withdraw. We have to get back to the vessel immediately."

He stood up and helped me to my feet, then stepped onto the stone path curving around the gradual slope of a hill.

I took in the scene around me. We were standing on some sort of hill, the path leading down to a set of stairs. Sloping upwards, the path curved away around the hill, and the cliff obstructed my view.

The boy scuffed my arm. "Selphie should be in the Central Square. Let's go!"

_Okay, then. _Clearly, I was supposed to comply. I picked the bloodstained dagger off the ground, and finding no place to put it, awkwardly wrapped it in my skirt seam (a skirt that wasn't even _mine_).

"Where'd you get that?" he asked as I joined him on the path.

"It was lodged in my chest."

His eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth – and faltered.

Dense silence; before distant _clank clank clank_ tore through the air. The sound became louder and louder, as if something terrible was approaching.

We stared wide-eyed at each other.

The clanking was starting to reach deafening levels. I looked around frantically; trying to figure out which direction the sound was coming from.

A blur of navy blue materialized from the top of the cliff, as if the cliff had just spit out the figure of a young, blond man. He was followed closely by a brown-haired girl in similar military-style clothes.

"RUN!" the blond shouted as he came closer. His face held a manic adrenaline of the likes I had never seen before. He zoomed by us and lumbered off down the stairs without so much as a backwards glance, the brunette hot in his tracks.

The next moment, my ears exploded as something metallic scraped against stone. I covered my ears and gaped as another boy in navy appeared around the corner. He ran towards us, brown hair flying and face a mask of horror.

Clomping six feet behind him was what appeared to be a metallic spider the size of two fully-grown elephants. My heart stopped. _What the hell is that?_ But I didn't have time to ponder on the existence of this abomination as the beast lumbered its way down towards us.

It swiped at the boy with its gigantic pincers, but he was a fast runner, and managed to evade its attack.

A tug on my sleeve was all I needed to break into a sprint. Adrenaline took over all other feelings as the three of us ran down the hill.

The only sound that mattered was the _clank clank_ of the robot spider behind us. We soon reached a stone bridge, and galloped across, until, halfway through, the telltale clanking stopped.

Silence, followed by a _whoosh_ as the monster jumped. A look upwards revealed masses of wires and circuits holding the legs of the beast intact.

I dived out of the way just as the beast landed with a thud and scraping of metal on stone. Pushing myself off the ground, my heart sinking, I realized that we were trapped; and Angel was nowhere to be seen. The beast stared us down with eight glinting, scarlet eyes, swaying side to side with metallic clinking sounds.

"Hit it with lightning spells!" shouted the other boy, who unsheathed a sword-type weapon from his belt buckle, raised it above his head, and charged at the beast.

Sword and metal spider leg collided with a shower of sparks, causing the spider to roar and recoil slightly. He raised his sword once more and aimed at the face, but couldn't get any further. Pincers the size of a four-seat sedan lunged at the boy, but he jumped back just in time.

Slightly panting, he turned to me. "It's carrying Doubles! Draw-cast, then hit it with your Lightning spells!"

I stared. He'd spoken plain English, but it sounded like a bunch of gibberish.

Though before I could ask him to clarify, there was a crack of thunder, accompanied by a violent flash of lightning directly above the spider, followed by another, stronger flash of lightning. The beast roared its terrifying, grating roar and swayed a little on the spot, the top of its ugly head smoking.

"Izzy! Squall!" came the muffled cries of Angel from the other side of the bridge. What was he still doing here, and why was he yelling out random words?

The moment of pondering came at a heavy price. After it was too late, I saw the massive pincers reach for me. I stood horrified as the metal contraptions grabbed me around the middle, and with a jerk, lifted me clean off the ground.

No time to react; blade sharp metal pierced my sides as they squeezed tightly before letting go. I dropped to the ground in a heap.

'_**Summon me.'**_

Trembling, I pushed myself off the ground. The sword-carrying boy now stood facing the beast, which had somehow turned around so its back was to us. He seemed to be concentrating on something, and a moment later, he extended his arms to shoot out a bolt of lightning straight at the spider.

'_**Natasha!'**_

I faltered, unsure, because the hearing disembodied voices inside one's head could only mean bad news. The voice kept a refrain of my name and the words "Summon me!" in a frantic yell, which I tried hard to ignore. I had more pressing matters to attend to.

The sword-boy was thrown backwards as the spider turned again with the grinding of gears. I immediately went over to help him off the ground.

Other than looking slightly shaken, he was unhurt, and taking my offered hand, he got up. He batted dirt-stained dark brown hair out of his face and looked around for his blade, blue eyes flitting frantically.

_Clank! Clank! Clank!_

I turned around to come face to face with eight bright red eyes in a metal face. _Crap!_

'_**Call me into battle. Quezacotl. I can destroy the X-ATM092.'**_

The spider was getting closer.

I closed my eyes tightly.

'_**Hurry!'**_

"Quasa-kettle!"

Nothing.

_Shing!_ The boy had found his blade and held it against the spider's pincers, holding it back from attacking him.

_What the hell do I do?_

Suddenly, miraculously, a surge of power overtook me. I held up my hands, which had started to glow a pale yellow, but soon I felt as if the power was slowly escaping, as if a spirit had decided to no longer possess me.

I caught a whiff of rain and looked up into the sky. Thunder erupted as dark clouds overhead started gathering in a whirlpool of energy. Flashes of lightning lit up the mass of gray, randomly striking each other, until one monstrous bolt escaped and snapped at the ground. But the bolt didn't disappear. The ground sparked, and from the sparks appeared a giant green and yellow bird, wrapped in a cocoon of tattooed wings.

The mighty bird rose into the sky and spread itself, displaying its strength and beauty. Lightning gathered at its chest in a growing ball of energy. The bird flapped its wings once, twice, and the ball of lightning blew up, sending showers flying at the robot spider.

The spider recoiled, and was sent hurtling back a few feet, roaring in its meat-grinder way.

As soon as it had started, everything ended. The bird gave a cry of triumph, and flew off into the whirlpool of clouds. When it disappeared, the sky cleared once more, leaving no trace of what had just happened.

With a groan of metal, the giant spider collapsed on itself, charred and smoking.

"Let's go!" the boy exclaimed gruffly, and lodged himself between the spider and the wall.

After he had gone through, I shimmied my way through the space; wary that the monstrous robot might squish me against the wall, and trying hard not to gag at what smelled like burning fuel.

"We have to get back to the vessel!" yelled Angel, and led the way as the three of us headed across the bridge.

We piled into a dingy street when a groan of metal was heard, followed by clanking that signified that the robot spider was very much alive. Ears pounding, I barely wondered how it was still moving. The clanking followed us down the street, accompanied by the rumbling and crashing as buildings behind us fell to the ground. We passed a fountain, which moments later would be crushed by the beast. Blindly, we ran through an alley, the spider's footsteps not far behind.

Finally, the sight of a beach littered with large black ships allowed for relief. Down a flight of stone steps we went, our feet landing softly on the sand.

The beach was littered with departing ships, and I blindly followed the boys towards the only one that had its door ajar. In the doorway, I saw the blond boy frantically waving us over. He yelled something inaudible and disappeared within the ship.

I followed the boy who had found me as we sprinted across the beach, and onto the metal steps of the vessel door. Panting, I took a look back to see the sword boy still sprinting furiously towards the vessel, the robot spider not far behind him.

By some miracle, the spider was suddenly racked with a barrage of bullets. The deafening _pop pop pop_ was coming from on top of the ship, where a young woman handled a stationary machine gun. She kept firing until all I could hear of the spider was a dying groan.

The boy furiously ran towards us, but for some reason it felt as if he was running backwards...

"Squall! Come on man!" I turned to see the blond boy next to me, his eyes brimming with worry. The ship had started to move, and the gate started to close. We watched anxiously as at he leaped into the air and barely made it into the vessel door just as it snapped shut behind him with a groan of metal.

For a moment, no one spoke. Sword boy pulled himself into sitting position, his breathing laboured and uneven.

"Are you okay?" whispered the brunette. She offered him a hand, and pulled him up.

The ship suddenly jerked, and then fell into a steady motion. Without a word, the group made their way inside the cabin, which was a cramped room with two rows of seats and a slab of wood serving as a table. I followed them, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. _Where in the world am I?_

I looked around at the haphazard group, but no one met my eyes. I didn't blame them, everyone looked shocked and dazed. We all shuffled around quietly when finally a distraction arrived in the form on a thin, young woman. She looked at a piece of paper on a clipboard she carried in her arms. _Why isn't anyone fazed?_ Everyone in the cabin stared at the blonde in anticipation, but no one questioned why a robotic spider had chased us off. Did these people face something like this everyday?

"The mission was a success. You all did a great job." Said the blonde suddenly. _Mission? Success? It nearly killed us!_ Her eyes collided with mine for a split second before she looked away.

What threw me off was that she showed no signs of surprise. Surely, I must have been out of place here. I looked around the room, slowly looking at each person. There was the boy who had found me on the hill, whose name I was pretty sure wasn't Angel. He stood gazing dreamily out of the window; brown hair caked with mud. He was tall and lanky, with rather skinny limbs.

On the seat next to him sat a smug-looking boy with a pale face marred only by a gash running down his forehead, and golden slicked back hair. He slumped inside a loose-fitting white trench coat and casually rested his feet on the table. Opposite him sat the spiky-haired blond boy from earlier, who, I now noticed, had a jet-black tribal tattoo covering the entire left side of his face. He gave me a thumbs-up when he caught me looking. I diverted my attention to the brunette sitting next to him. She was humming quietly, apparently oblivious to the tension around the room. Next to her sat the sword boy. He stared at the ground without moving, his dark brown hair covering up his face. Lastly, the blonde woman stood next to the entrance with her arms crossed, watching everyone in the room.

All of the occupants except for the trench coat wore dark blue uniforms, including me. _Have I been forced to join some kind of organization? _The uniforms were not what stood out, though. It was the strangeness of their faces. Each face was eerily _perfect_, with smooth, almost waxy skin, and prominent features. They looked like animate mannequins; all beautiful but foreign at the same time. Clearly, I wasn't anywhere near home or school.

I closed my eyes to try and remember how I'd possibly gotten here. _I got kicked out of class, Rachael followed me out… then Trevor and I were driving home. Oh my God, the crash! _My eyes shot open. _The sorceress! _Had she brought me here? Were these people working for her?

"Are you okay? You seem confused," commented a low voice, snapping me away from my thoughts.

I turned to the side to see that the boy I'd started calling Angel had stepped away from the window. He gazed at me with a worried expression.

Taken aback, I replied, "Um… what's going on?"

He chuckled. "You mean, what's going to happen with the results? I'm nervous too." He glanced at the blond woman briefly. "But I think we did pretty well."

I stared at him blankly.

"Don't worry, we'll be at Balamb soon, so let's relax before going back to Garden."

_Balamb?_ I had never heard that name before, much less knew what part of the world it belonged in! _I must be really far from home…_

"Are you okay? You're looking a little clammy." He cocked his head to the side, a hint of concern shadowing his eyes.

_Do we know each other?_ I gulped. "What's going on? Where am I? And why am I here?"

"Izzy. Is something wrong?" it was the blonde this time. She stepped closer, watching me with the same, worried expression as Angel.

"My name isn't…" I trailed off. Did these people think I was someone else? Is that why no one had mentioned my obvious difference? I looked around the room again. surely, I must have stood out among these people, but everyone seemed oblivious "You have the wrong chick, lady!"

That invited inquiring looks from the other residents of the room. I looked from one face to the next, trying to find a trace of familiarity. I backed up a few paces, my heart racing at the thought that I'd been kidnapped or something. So what if none of them seemed malicious?

Pretty boy took a step towards me, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Izzy, what-"

"Stop calling me that!" Panicking, I pushed through him and fled through the door opposite. I had to, no, _needed_, to get away from these people. I slammed the door shut and locked it behind me. Nothing made sense. All I wanted to do was go home, or at least somewhere familiar.

I took a deep breath and fumbled for a light switch, and with a click, the room was lit. In front of me stood a girl with blood down her shirt staring at me. I screamed in surprise, and the girl did the same. We stared at each other with wide eyes, and it was then I noticed that I was staring into a mirror. I gingerly extended my hands to touch the mirror, and the girl inside reached for me. _That's not me…_ Everything about her, _me, _was different. Her wheat-colored hair complemented a pair of round, pale blue eyes. Where was my short black hair? I stared at the baby blue eyes that were so different from my hazel ones.

Reaching a shaking hand to touch her… my face, I realized that I was one of _them._ No one had noticed my difference because I _wasn't_ different. I felt my throat constrict and my breaths came out as shallow gasps. This couldn't be possible. I had to be dreaming. Things like this _didn't happen_ in the real world. What the hell had the sorceress _done_? Was I dead or something? I mean, this was definitely not what I would have imagined any kind of afterlife to be like.

_Maybe it's not the real world._ Of course, I was either dreaming, or in a coma from the car accident. I had to be in a coma; perhaps the sorceress didn't even exist. Shudders overcame my body. I didn't know which thought was scarier: the possibility of a psycho woman sending me to a weird, hellish world, or me losing my mind and dreaming up all of it.

There came a sudden tapping on the door, pulling my attention away from the mirror. "Izzy, it's Nida. Are you okay? Did something happen? You screamed."

So in this coma my name was Izzy, and I knew these people. This I could accept. At that moment, I decided that, yes, this had to be some weird ass dream or coma, because as long as it was in my mind, I could control it.

I inhaled deeply before opening the door. The boy named Nida's concerned face greeted me. I cleared my throat and grinned widely. "I'm fine."

"Is there-"

I managed a nervous giggle. "Nope!" I turned to everyone else, "I was totally joking earlier! You should have seen your faces!"

Before Nida could get in another word, I crossed the room to sit on the seat next to the trench coat boy. I smiled at him and he looked at me as if I was deranged.

Now that I knew I was dreaming, I would wake up soon, and life would be normal. I would bitch and moan about having to go to Jerkass Jake's class, but it would be okay, because everything would be fine. I sighed and leaned back into the seat. _There's nothing to worry about._


	3. A dream within a dream perhaps?

A/N: A great big thanks to Snomin for the lovely review :)

* * *

Awkward tension hung in the air like a blanket of silence and nobody's eyes met. To keep from completely freaking out, I'd been, with some amusement, watching the silent battle that ensued between two of the guys. The spiky-haired tattooed one kept glaring at the trench-coat-wearing Draco Malfoy lookalike, who would smirk every now and then.

I blissfully ignored the strange looks Nida kept giving me. I didn't think going around saying I was dreaming all this would be the best thing to do. If that didn't land me in a loony bin somewhere, it would probably launch everyone into avoidable existential crisis that they would blame me for forever. Did I really want to alienate myself that way? _I think not!_ Besides, was I a hundred percent sure this was a dream? Could there be a possibility – a very tiny one – that this was real? The back of my neck prickled. No, I wouldn't allow myself to believe that.

"Dammit, Seifer! How can you be so selfish?"

Jolted from my mind-ramble, I stared at the spiky blond, whose face was turning quite red.

"Next time stay out of my way then," drawled trench coat guy. He leaned back in the seat, and added, "Chicken-wuss."

_Chicken-wuss? He's joking right?_

Apparently he wasn't, because it succeeded in royally pissing off tattoo guy. Drawing his fists, he jumped out of his seat, scowling and breathing heavily. "Say that to my face!"

"Chike-"

"Knock it off! Zell, calm down."

All eyes turned to the blonde woman standing by the door. Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled at the two boys.

Grumbling, Zell the tattoo guy settled back in his seat, arms crossed and one leg perched defiantly over the other.

I heard low chuckling and turned to look at Seifer, who smirked, blue eyes dancing with mirth. He was enjoying the other boy's tantrum.

_Ugh._ I made a mental note to stay away from him.

The room now sat in quiet discomfort. I looked at Nida, who, without my notice, had slid into the seat next to me. He was observing Zell with furrowed brows.

Zell was red-faced and glaring at Seifer, as if he would somehow spontaneously combust. "How can you be so cold-blooded?" he yelled suddenly, flexing his fist at Seifer. "Dollet was destroyed!"

Seifer waved a hand in the air dismissively.

Zell's face became redder.

Before a brawl could break out, Sword guy spoke up, "Seifer was the squad leader."

Seifer's expression hardened. "Exactly, and as leader, I couldn't just stand around while those Galbadian losers were running around everywhere."

"You put people at risk, Seifer," said the blond woman quietly from her place at the door.

Seifer turned to her, his mouth slightly open.

"Xu's squad had to be broken up in order to bring you back. Some of them were nearly killed." She glanced at me before continuing. "Because of your decision, Dollet soldiers died." She walked over to the table to stand right in front of him.

"Instructor…if we hadn't gone after them, we never would've found out about the communication tower. In the long run, I did the right thing." His voice was calm, but expressed a very subtle note of pleading.

"This was a test, Seifer, not some personal glory run. You disobeyed direct orders."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Orders…I relied on my gut, and look at how right it turned out to be!"

The instructor scoffed, "It wasn't your decision to make." She shook her head, "be sure that you will be disciplined once we get back to Garden." She stepped back coldly, and resumed her position by the door, signifying that the conversation was over.

"Whatever," Seifer huffed. He got up and walked to the door, deliberately bumping into the instructor as he disappeared above the stairs.

She shook her head, sighed, and sat down in the now unoccupied seat. The room once again went silent. So we had been part of a war alongside Dollet, the city that had so thoroughly been destroyed.

_Hmm, what kind of dream is this?_ A battle; so did that mean these people were soldiers? They sure didn't _look _like soldiers. How old were they anyway? They definitely didn't seem any older than twenty-one.

I looked around the room. Zell seemed to have calmed down, and was now looking at the small, flippy-haired girl with glazed eyes, who gestured excitedly as she babbled on. The sword-carrying boy named Squall seemed rather bored as he sat back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. I noticed that he had a scar running down his forehead ending below his eye, like Seifer. Aside from the scar, his face had the same eerie quality of perfection to it, as if it had been molded from wax.

I looked to the instructor sitting next to me. From a closer angle, I could see her delicate features. She also looked mannequin-like; all smooth hair and pouty lips. Like the others, she also wore a uniform jacket with a knee-length skirt, except hers was black with gold and red trim. So they were part of some organization, and apparently so was I. But what exactly was I a part of? And why was I transformed into a tall blonde who didn't look a thing like me? Sure I'd once wanted to dye my hair sunshine yellow, but this was ridiculous.

Feeling my neck prickle, I finally stopped avoiding Nida's gaze.

"What was all that about earlier?" he asked, watching me intently.

I shrugged and managed a grin. "N-nothing." _Why must you ask me?_ I'd never been great at lying.

"Izzy, did something strange happen? You were gone a long- what?"

I changed my cringe to a neutral expression. I'd seriously have to get used to the name Izzy. Shaking my head, I answered, "Listen, can we talk later?"

He opened his mouth.

"I'll explain everything, I promise."

My stomach curled as he slowly nodded, then looked away towards the map hanging on the opposite wall. _Hopefully, I won't have to explain anything._ I had to wake up sooner or later right?

Left alone with my thoughts, I could focus on figuring out how exactly I'd gotten here. _The sorceress, did she bring me here or something? _But how? Had we drove? Taken a plane? Where in the world was this place anyway?

Actually, now that I thought about it, the sorceress shared similar features with these people. Her skin had been smooth and waxy, her face perfectly symmetrical, like a doll. Her tawny eyes had pierced through me. I shuddered as I remembered her cold touch, her determined face as she approached me. And what happened to Trevor? My heart sinking, I wondered if he'd managed to get out of there, if he'd even had to face her.

_I wonder…_

"Hey, do you know a sorceress?" I asked Nida. My neck prickled as all eyes turned to me.

He looked at me questioningly. "Sorceress? Adel was destroyed seventeen years ago, Izzy." He smirked. "I didn't know you were failing history?"

_Damn it! _I smiled weakly, "I-I'm not, just, you know, curious."

"Did you meet someone suspicious on the mission, Izzy?" the instructor asked.

_More like, she's the reason I'm here_. "No, no one suspicious on the mission." _Probably wreaking horror in my home, is all. _

Bespectacled ice-blue eyes scrutinized me with skepticism. I felt sweat prickling at my temples and prayed for her to look away. I didn't want to reveal anything yet, especially the fact that I wasn't Izzy.

"You know, my Grandfather fought in the last Sorceress war," Zell declared proudly, claiming the attention of everyone in the room. He started detailing an elaborate war story he had heard from his grandfather. I tried to pay attention, but could not help but breathe a sigh of relief as I leaned back into my seat. I couldn't afford to have more slip-ups like this. It was bad enough I was in an unknown place, but these people seemed to know who I was, and I wasn't about to alienate myself from them.

Nida nudged my arm, and I turned my face to be met with his questioning eyes. He opened his mouth but I shook my head. I mouthed "later," and smiled. He smiled back weakly, his face a mask of concern. I knew that smile. It was the 'You-better-tell-me-what's-wrong' smile; the same smile I usually received from my friends if I tried to lie to them.

Guilt gnawed at my insides. Izzy had a life here, and friends. What would happen if they found out I wasn't Izzy? Was she even real? What _had _happened to her? Was she in my body, or had she died during the battle? _Not many people get stabbed in the chest and live to tell the tale._ Yet here I was, alive and well. I looked down at where the knife wound should have been, which Nida had so easily healed in seconds. So he wasn't an angel, but that kind of healing power wasn't exactly normal. How could I be unscathed when the memory of removing the dagger was so fresh in my mind? The chill of the blade as it passed through flesh; _Surely_, _I couldn't have imagined that._ I sighed and leaned back into my seat.

Nida's healing wasn't the only weird thing I'd seen so far. There was Squall's lightning spells that he'd shot at the spider. And how the hell could I explain that bird monster made of lightning? He'd talked in my head, which was totally bizarre. _So big deal, magic and monster summoning exist in this place. _I was either in a really advanced alternate reality, or lying in a white, padded room somewhere with a straitjacket.

In any case, there was no need worrying about what did and didn't make sense. The fact was, I was in a strange world, and until I was able to find information about the Sorceress, I would have to be part of this world. Surely, she'd be able to send me back to my own reality, wherever that was.

Sighing, I snuggled deeper into the seat and tried to look interested in Zell's story. _I better start by getting to know who these people are._

The rest of the ride to Balamb was thankfully uneventful. I listened to Zell spew random facts about Garden's history. Soon everyone in the room joined in to discuss the war between Dollet and the Galbadian army. I listened closely to their conversations, picking up tidbits about the military organization of which we were a part. I had always been imaginative, but it was unlikely that my mind would come up with something as vast as an army called SeeD trained in mercenary academies called Garden all over the world (which, judging by the map displayed on the wall, didn't look anything like Earth.) I no longer had any doubt in my mind that no matter how much I wanted it to be, this was not a dream.

Soon enough, a groan of metal signified the ship coming to a stop. A burst of sunlight welcomed us as we piled out of the ship and onto a small pier. The saltwater smell combined with the gentle sighing of the waves was a welcome contrast to the war zone we had left behind.

"Finally! Fresh air!" exclaimed the brunette, stretching out her arms and sighing.

Seifer sauntered down from the ship deck next, smug smirk pasted on his face. After exchanging a few words with his friends who waited at the dock, Seifer walked off with them towards the parking lot.

I looked around the pier, taking in the calming scenery. Ships like the one we had traveled in were docked closely; their doors open to allow students entry onto the pier. Students milled around the ships, talking excitedly to each other. I inhaled the salty sea breeze pleasurably. The fresh ocean smell always brought thoughts of beaches and lighthouses, although I had never been anywhere near a lighthouse. I looked towards the other end of the pier. It also served as a parking lot, beyond which was visible the back of a cobblestone building. A road curved around it to what I assumed must be the entrance. Seagull calls overhead coupled with the sighing ocean waves were very calming. I ginned lazily at Nida.

"It's so nice here," I sighed.

He grinned back. "I know. We should visit more often."

_Thunk thunk._ Footsteps on the wooden platform announced the Instructor exiting the ship. "Good job!" She smiled at everyone in turn. Her brow furrowed when she noticed an absence. "Where's Seifer?"

Squall pointed towards the parking lot, where Seifer was boarding a vehicle with his two friends. I stared at the car, which looked like the production of a minivan's sordid love affair with an army jeep. It was bright yellow with glaring moss-green doors and huge front view windows.

I promptly turned back to the Instructor.

"Dismissed!" she finished. I started to follow the others toward the parking lot, but felt a hand on my shoulder hold me back.

"Can I have a word, Izzy?" the instructor watched me sternly.

I stepped away from the group.

The Instructor watched them leave, and then turned to me. "I have complete confidence that if you saw someone suspicious, you would come forward."

_What's this about?_

"We're all affected if something happens to Garden."

_Oh! She's talking about the Sorceress._ "I wouldn't hide anything as important as that, Instructor." _Unless you guys are actually affected by it._

Her face softened. "That's good to hear." She smiled. "By the way, how are you doing? We almost lost you out there, so it's great to see you in one piece."

I inwardly groaned. Once more I wondered if the girl had died in order for me to be in her body. "I'm fine." _As fine as I can be in this situation anyway._

That answer seemed to satisfy her, and she turned to the open door of another ship, where another young girl seemed to be waiting for her. I stared after the instructor blankly. _How long till these people discover I'm not who they think I am?_ It was a wonder I had kept my identity a secret.

"Izzy!"

_How do I figure out how to get out of here?_

"Izzy, over here!"

_Why the hell am I here in the first place?_

A hand on my arm snapped me away from my thoughts. I turned to see the brunette's smiling face. "Everyone's waiting!" she exclaimed.

Surprised, I mumbled an apology and followed her toward the arched entryway leading into the town of Balamb. _I have to get used to the name Izzy_. We joined the three boys on the pathway and made our way through the arch into Balamb.

"What happened to the car?" I asked.

Zell scoffed. "Seifer drove off with it."

I walked into step beside him. "Seifer's just a ray of sunshine, isn't he?"

He shook his head. "Are you kiddin'? He's an asshole!"

Taken aback by his outburst, I just stared. Did he not get sarcasm or something?

"He just thinks too highly of himself," mumbled Squall from ahead of us. I looked at him in surprise, expecting him to elaborate. He didn't turn around to see if I would reply, but kept walking as if he hadn't spoken at all. I shrugged and followed him.

Behind me, I could hear the girl talking excitedly to Nida. Beside me, Zell walked quietly, seemingly lost in his thoughts. We passed a bright blue brick building which had a sigh hanging over it proclaiming 'Balamb Hotel,' but kept walking down the streets. I wondered where we were going, and more importantly, if anyone there would know about the sorceress.

Balamb seemed like a quaint little town, with winding cobblestone pathways leading to different districts. People walked lazily by, carrying shopping bags, or standing on street corners and enjoying the ocean breeze.

Not watching where I was walking, I nearly ran into Squall. We'd stopped in front of a small, stone building set beneath ground level like a cove. The front yard boasted a small vegetable garden bursting with thick, colourful plants.

"So Garden is an actual garden?" I asked, straightening myself up.

This, obviously, was the wrong thing to say, because everyone became silent to stare at me as if I was losing my mind.

Feeling moronic, I smiled nervously, "just kidding."

"Why have we stopped?" asked Squall.

"I was thinking we could visit my Ma." Zell said rather nervously.

Squall sighed, and then checked his wristwatch. "I guess, but not for long."

Smiling, Zell led us down inside the arched doorway, and into a circular, brightly lit foyer. It was a rather small house, and the six of us seemed to crowd it. I could see a hallway leading into a sitting area ahead of us, while circular stairs led upstairs. The house was painted in calming beige tones, and the clutter afforded a sense of coziness. I couldn't help but feel at home.

I looked at Nida beside me, who seemed to be admiring a painting on the wall. Squall stood awkwardly at the doorway, staring off to the ceiling, while Selphie went around the room, touching pieces of decoration.

Zell walked into the door to our left, which I assumed was the kitchen.

"Ma! I'm home!" he bellowed.

A stout woman with a kind, smiling face turned around from the stove. "Zell!" she hugged him tightly. Her eyes fell on us and she grinned. "Are these your friends?"

Zell turned around and scratched the back of his head. "Sort of."

"Well, don't keep them standing here, Zell! You'll all stay for supper, right?"

Before Zell or anyone else could protest, Zell's mother ushered us into the living room, a circular room with a large window at the end, leading out onto a yard full of bright, lush flowers.

"How pretty!" the girl exclaimed, and ran off to paste herself to the glass.

"Don't make yourselves too comfortable, Selphie."

I turned to Zell in surprise. It seemed impossible _not_ to be comfortable in a house so cozy.

Sitting down on the love seat by the window, I absently looked around the room. My stomach growled. _How long has it been since I last ate?_ The last meal I remembered eating was breakfast before class; I hadn't had time for lunch. _Who knows how long ago that was?_ It was impossible to tell, as the last thing I remembered was darkness. It would have been evening at least since the Sorceress had approached me. _Then I ended up here._ The clock above the fireplace read 16:30. I sighed. Time had no significance anymore.

I felt someone watching me and looked up to see Nida staring at me intently. I tilted my head to the side. He lightly shook his head, then walked over to sit beside me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You seem different somehow."

The blood drained from my face. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head again, "Just… you don't seem like yourself. The way you're talking, walking, even the way you're interacting with people. Did something happen during the mission?" He looked me straight in the eyes, concern etched in his own.

I felt sweat prickling at my temples. His gaze was searching and familiar. I felt my heart sinking. Clearly, he was close to Izzy, and how would he react once he learned that I wasn't her? _I can't let them people know right now._

"Dinner is ready!" Zell's mother proclaimed from the doorway. I turned to her with relief. _Saved by food._ I got up abruptly and was the first to follow Zell through the hallway into the kitchen.

Nida remained quiet throughout the meal. _I suppose he's not one to pry too deeply. _Another pang of guilt. It was unfair to Izzy, and her friends that her life was being taken over by me. Not that I was responsible, but I still felt as if I was intruding. I remained quiet as we finished our meal, and after a game of cards between Squall and Zell's mother, set off to leave for Garden. Zell hugged his mother, who waved us out of their house.

The sun was starting to set, so we decided to rent a car. I followed the group quietly, purposefully avoiding Nida, who quietly obliged. We all boarded a red minivan/hummer hybrid car and set on the road towards Balamb Garden.

_I really hope I can find her in Balamb Garden._

* * *

A/N: Quite a short chapter, I know, but the next one is where Izzy's deal will be explained. Stick around!_  
_


	4. Of Gardens and Guardian Forces

~Izzy~

Darkness, consuming and unmitigated, pressed in on her body, suffocating, trapping…

Izzy woke with a start, her eyelids like shutters.

Looming over her was the figure of a young man with curly brown hair and a wide, toothy grin.

Izzy gasped and sat up. She looked around the drab white room, taking in the scent of antiseptic with a violent cringe. Finally, she let her gaze settle on the man sitting in a chair next to her bed. He watched her warily and Izzy groaned, thinking of what had happened this time for her to end up in the infirmary.

The man spoke, "Natasha…" he threw his arms around her, drew her close, and whispered, "H-how are you feeling?"

Taken aback, Izzy sat stone-like, until common sense returned to her. She pushed him away. "Never mind that! Just tell me whether I passed or not."

The man's grin instantly vanished. "You could have died and you're asking me about school?"

"Oh no…" Izzy's heart sunk somewhere near her stomach. "I failed didn't I?" She covered her face in her hands, trembling at the thought that she'd failed the SeeD exam because of getting hurt by a Galbadian soldier. _It was all Nida's fault!_ He'd been the one to send her after Tilmitt to find squad B.

Izzy immediately scrambled with the bedcovers to get out, yanking out the tubes attached to her arms. _Geez, I didn't know they still used these._

"What are you doing?" a gruff voice accompanied by a strong grip on her shoulders held her back from hurtling out of the bed.

Mustering a disdainful glare, Izzy shook out of his hands. "Who are you?" _and why are you manhandling me?_

At her words, the man stepped back, eyes wide and unblinking. "Whoa, calm down, N."

"CALM DOWN? I missed half of the exam! Do you know what that _means_? Where's Dr. Kadowski? I need to leave the infirmary so I can hunt down Nida and _kill_ him!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Amiri, I'm afraid you'll have to put off killing until after we run some tests." A tall man in a white coat walked into the room, a clipboard in his hands and a broad grin on his face.

Izzy stared, then, realizing her mouth was hanging open, gulped and blinked several times. "Tests? There's no need. A Galbadian soldier stabbed me, that bastard, and then I blacked out. All it needed was a hi-potion and a couple of cure spells, and seeing as there's no wound," Izzy cast a glance at her chest and ran a finger over the smooth skin which betrayed no sign of puncture, then continued, "I would say I'm totally free to go. Dr. Kadowski would agree."

The white-coat man scratched the back of his head and looked to the younger man for an explanation, who just shrugged in response, not taking his searching, bewildered eyes off Izzy.

She took the moment of silence to push herself off the bed and straighten up her awful floral-patterned gown.

"Natasha," the young one said.

Izzy continued to fix her hospital gown. Oh, how she hated these exposing, ugly things.

"Natasha," the boy repeated.

Izzy looked at him, confused as to why he kept saying that word. "What are you still doing here? Are you a student at Garden? I've never seen you around."

His eyes narrowed into a searching glare. "Are you feeling okay?"

Izzy raised an eyebrow, "…yes. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to fix myself up before I go back to my room." She turned to the doctor. "Is there a bathroom I could use?"

Wordlessly, the doctor pointed to a door to Izzy's right.

Izzy thanked him and promptly hauled herself into the room. She flicked the light on, only to illuminate the figure of a shocked, young woman.

Blushing from embarrassment, Izzy immediately left the room, head bowed. "There's someone in there," she mumbled dryly, and proceeded to push herself out of the infirmary room. She'd have to sneak into her dorm room without letting anyone see her. The thought of getting caught by the so called "disciplinary committee" made her shudder; Fujjin would never let her live it down if she saw her walking around like this.

She shook the thought away as the realization of unfamiliarity hit her like a speeding Chocobo. _Where in Garden is this?_ Izzy looked around at the brightly-lit hallway, which stretched way longer than the infirmary. Taking a tentative step forward, Izzy wracked her brain to try and make sense of it. She'd been in the infirmary many times, but never had it looked like this.

"Watch out, miss."

Izzy jumped out of the way as a stout nurse pushing a wheelchair passed her. _If I'm not in the infirmary, then where am I? _She took a quick look around and her breath caught in her throat.

There, in the large, uncovered window in front of her, was a girl looking in from the darkness of the night! _My God!_ Clutching her thumping chest, Izzy sprang to the window and slid it open.

Nothing. Taking a few deep breaths, Izzy slowly started to slide the window closed. "Pull yourself together. You're losing it," she told herself.

There she was again! Izzy glared at the girl, and the girl glared persistently back. "No…" Izzy muttered, and reached out to the window. The window girl reached out for Izzy. Izzy snapped the window open once more.

No one outside. Feeling stupid, Izzy shut the glass forcefully and stared the reflection that wasn't hers. _Is this some kind of trick?_ Izzy grabbed a lock of her hair, watching the reflection copy her. She drew a few ink-black strands in front of her face with numb fingers. _What the hell's going on?_

"Natasha!"

Izzy spun around to face the curly-haired man from earlier; the doctor looming behind him. Feeling her heart race, she raised an accusing finger at him. "Who did this?" she shrieked.

"Nat-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Without waiting for him to say another word, Izzy sprang away and broke into a sprint down the hall. Adrenaline pumped through her body, blinding her from reason. She had to get away; get back to Garden. They would be able to help her; to figure out what kind of sinister magic this was.

She glanced back to see if she was being followed. Mistake. Something hard slammed into her knees and-

_Crash!_

Izzy went tumbling to the ground with a cartful of bedpans falling over and beside her. Groaning, she pushed herself into sitting position and pushed away the darned objects.

Her face was mere inches from the back of one stray bedpan, and instead of pulling herself off the ground; Izzy stared at the image of an unfamiliar face that stared fearfully back. Her shoulders heaved as sobs escaped her throat. What was going on?

She barely responded as she felt the sting of a needle on her arm. Her body became limp and her eyes closed with lethargy, leaving the thought what_'s happening to me?_ reeling in her mind.

* * *

~Natasha~

"Whose perfect idea was it to forget extra fuel?" Zell roared, punching the hood of the rental car in fury.

Squall gave him a reproachful look. "We have no choice but to walk." He looked at his watch. "We have at least an hour to get back, we should be fine." He stepped around the car onto the dirt path by the side of the road and turned to us expectantly.

The car had run out of fuel, leaving us stranded in the middle of the road. The nearest gas station was in Balamb Garden, and since that was our destination, walking was the only way to get there. We stood around in the stale summer air. The car had been air conditioned, and the heat was starting to reach blistering levels. After Zell's unproductive attempts to push the car into gear, he had taken to complaining and kicking it, which probably added to the heat.

"Well?" Squall crossed his arms and looked at the rest of us expectantly.

Zell sent a longing look towards the car. " Tch! Guess we really don't have a choice," he grumbled.

The girl named Selphie rolled her eyes. "Come on! It'll be great exercise!" She marched in front of Squall and led the group off the road. "Wait!" She turned around, "Does everyone have their GFs equipped?"

Zell and Squall reached in their pockets.

_GF? Equip?_

Nida caught my confused expression. "What's wrong?"

"Um… I don't have a GF"

"Where's Quezacotl?"

I shrugged. I hadn't heard his voice since I'd called upon him earlier and he'd flown off.

"Did he get knocked out?"

I shrugged again, feeling stupid.

"Oh," he looked around at everyone. "Does anyone have a G-Returner?"

They shook their heads.

"Here," Selphie pulled something out of her pocket. She walked over and deposited a palm-sized stone into my hands. It was shaped like a tiny ball encapsulated in a pair of pale golden wings. I looked at Selphie's smiling face. "It's Siren. I found her when we were fighting the X-ATM092."

"…Thanks." _How is a stone going to help me?_

"You're welcome!" She proceeded to pull out an electric yellow stone out of her pocket. Closing her eyes, she gently stroked the stone and it started to emit a strange, unnatural glow. The stone sparkled and disappeared. Selphie opened her eyes, and I noticed that they now had a yellowish spark in the irises. I gaped at her. _Did she absorb the stone?_

"Aren't you going to equip Siren?" Nida whispered from beside me. I looked at him and noticed that his light brown eyes tinged with a bluish glow.

I averted my gaze to the stone in my hands. _Guess I have no choice._ Rubbing the smooth surface, I imitated Selphie and closed my eyes. The stone started to vibrate gently in my hands. A tingling sensation overtook my fingers and spread through my arms, slowly reverberating to the rest of my body. It was like being doused in a container of soda, as if tiny bubbles were popping all over my body. I inhaled deeply and felt a heightened sense of smell. My eyes snapped open, and could see the scene in front of me more clearly than before.

'_**Hello, I am Siren,'**_ proclaimed a soft female voice. I looked around, but somehow it felt as if the voice was just in my head.

"Hi Siren," I whispered tentatively. The others had started walking down the path already, as if unaware of what they had all gone through. I shrugged and followed them.

A strength I never knew I possessed had overtaken me, kind of like I'd suddenly chugged several cans if Redbull. Inhaling deeply, I realized that I could smell the dust around me as if an invisible hand was holding it straight against my nose. _Is this what a GF does?_

'_**Get used to it**_,' said the same female voice.

"Siren?" It was strange talking to a voice inside my head.

'_**You don't need to talk to me out loud'**_

I scratched my head. '_Uh…can you hear me?_'

'_**Yes. Nice to meet you, Natasha.**_'

'_You know my real name_?'

There was a pause. '_**Shouldn't I**_?' She giggled, a soft tinkling sound. '_**I'm your first Guardian Force, aren't I?**_'

Finally, something I wouldn't have to lie about. '_Yes_.'

'_**I am honored to be of assistance. Just call me when you need my help in battle.**_' It sounded like she was smiling.

'_Thanks_' I grinned.

There was no reply. I shrugged and jogged to catch up to the group. I fell into step beside Nida, who gave me a small smile that caused my heart to clutch.

"I thought you got lost," he said.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Lost? Me?"

"Don't cover it up. You get lost going from the library to the dorm!" His smile widened and his eyes sparkled.

Scratching the back of my neck, I looked away. Whether he was exaggerating or not, I didn't know. The rest of the group walked on in silence a little distance ahead. Now that I thought about it, Nida was the quietest one of the group, usually following along at a distance. Squall, I noticed, was pretty quiet too, but the Zell and Selphie seemed to gravitate towards him. Even when we had been walking through Balamb, Nida had been quiet and distant, talking only to me. The others seemed fine with his distance; maybe Nida wasn't even friends with them.

"Hey," Nida brought a hand on my shoulder and I met his gaze. "look, whatever it is, you can tell me."

I gulped. Could I trust him? How did I know that they weren't in league with the sorceress? He'd saved my life, why would he have done that if he was working for her? _But then again, he was saving Izzy's life, not mine._ My stomach churned. What if Nida could help me find the sorceress? _What if he can't and he tells everyone and they leave you to fend for yourself?_

Nida reached over and pulled away the strand of hair from my hands; I'd been yanking on it without realizing. I looked up at his concerned face; _maybe I can tell him, maybe he can help me._ I opened my mouth, thinking of how to even begin, when-

_Buzz buzz_.

"What is that?" I turned around to be met with the sight of a pale blue insect with shimmering violet wings, except it was the size of a cat and at the moment zooming towards me! I stepped back as four more of the bugs came flying towards us.

_Click, BANG! _Nida had pulled out a gun, and one of the insects fell to the ground, dead. Zell ran past us towards one of the larger bugs and started pummeling it with his fists. I turned around and saw Selphie with closed eyes and a pair of nunchucks – _actual nunchucks –_ held out in front of her. She muttered under her breath and snapped her eyes open. The insect in front of her erupted in flames, and with a pathetic squeal, fell to the ground.

_BUZZ BUZZ._ I reacted too late, and one of the bugs dug its pincers into my face. Pain shot into my cheeks and on instinct I shoved its hairy body. _I'll show you!_ I punched it hard in what looked like a face. It recoiled a little, its body sagging away from me. I felt tingling on my face, and was instantly surrounded by a pale blue glow. _This looks awfully familiar._ Nida had been the one to cure me. I smiled in appreciation, but not for long, as the bug came flying at me again, buzzing furiously. Adrenaline took over, and I put all my focus on the creature.

'_**Come on, Natasha! You can kill it.'**_ Siren coaxed.

_Wham! Bam! Hiyaah! _I jumped and dug my heel into the giant insect's face, and it fell, screeching, to the ground. Blind rage overtook me and I stomped on the creature until thick maroon liquid seeped out of every crevice of its hairy body. _Die, you nasty bug!_

The back of my neck prickled and I looked back to see Zell watching at me with amusement.

"Uh… I think it's dead."

I blushed and looked down at the mass of blue and purple fuzz seeped in maroon that was the creature's carcass.

Selphie and Nida stared at me with identical amused looks. Squall gazed, seeming rather bored with everything. I wiped my feet on the grass and cleared my throat. "Just making sure." My voice came out squeaky.

Zell snorted, barely holding in a laugh. I rolled my eyes. "How was I supposed to know when exactly it died?"

"Because it stopped moving?" Selphie burst out in a fit of giggles, with Zell and Nida snickering along. Even Squall cracked a smile; well, more like a very small smirk.

I turned my back to the group. "Let's just go!" I could barely contain a grin.

'_**It was overkill, and we could have done without the corny sound effects, but you did pretty well for your first time.'**_

'_Thanks.'_ It had to be Siren's effect. I wasn't usually so violent. _'I knew those karate classes I took a bazillion years ago had to be for something.'_

'_**It's better to stay and fight than to run away' **_Siren lectured.

I nodded. _'Well, guess I have to get used to it here.'_

_**'Yes.'**_

I waited for her to say more, but she didn't.

I let the others lead the way, and followed quietly. The sun was now a bright orange dome hanging low in the periwinkle sky. We walked in silence; the only sound our gentle footsteps on the ground. The air was starting to cool, providing relief from the heat of the afternoon.

In the distance, I could see a large structure. It looked like an inverted chandelier, with glass windows that glinted marvelously. Above the structure, seemingly suspended in mid-air, was a golden halo, adorned with filaments of silver and blue glass that reached out into the sky. A circle of trees served as gates of the building, as if to protect the beauty that must lie within. I could not take my eyes off it. _That must be Balamb Garden._

"Wow," I sighed.

"Gets you every time, doesn't it?"

I turned to see that Zell had slowed down to walk next to me. "It's beautiful." I smiled.

He gave me a strange look that I couldn't quite read. "You're acting like it's the first time you've seen it." He chuckled and shook his head. "Anyway, you're quite the scrapper!"

I narrowed my eyes, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Where did you learn Martial Arts? I thought your specialty was the pinwheel?" he went on.

_The what? _"Um, well, I lost my, uh, pinwheel," I let out a nervous laugh. "So I had to make do." I scratched the back of my head and looked away from him.

"Oh…w-"

"We should hurry or we'll be late!" I interrupted, and quickened my pace to walk with Squall in front of the group. _At least he won't ask me any questions._ He glanced at me for a second, and then looked towards Balamb Garden again. _Or acknowledge my presence for that matter._

Soon enough, we reached the structure known as Balamb Garden. It had looked beautiful from afar, but being closer to it was another thing entirely. It loomed over us invitingly. The golden gates stood apart to allow us entry. I stared in awe as we descended marble steps into the yard. It was spacious and open, with a grand staircase on top of which I could see a row of turnstiles over which hung an arched doorway leading into the building. We walked up the stairs, and I let everyone go ahead of me so I could look around and appreciate the building. A mustached gatekeeper greeted us warmly as we entered the main lobby. It narrowed as we walked towards an area where two hallways curved away from it. Shiny marble floors reflected my face as I gazed in amazement. The gentle sound of running water could be heard, although I couldn't see where it was coming from. I looked at the others, who showed no wonderment at the spectacle. I tried to mimic their nonchalant expressions, but it was difficult as I was in the most beautiful place I had ever seen.

We walked towards what looked like a signboard, in front of which stood the blonde instructor. She was talking to a middle-aged man, and a young black-haired girl in a SeeD uniform.

"Made it just in time," Selphie whispered.

Squall walked up to the instructor and said something I couldn't hear.

She nodded and turned to the rest of us. "You guys finally made it. The results will be announced soon, just stick around here." She smiled and turned back to the man. _He must be Headmaster Cid._ I vaguely remembered his name popping up during the conversation on the ship. Trying not to stare at him, I wondered how much he had spent on this Garden. _He must be loaded._ By the looks of it, SeeDs lived a life of luxury. I looked around, and now could see that the hallways curved around a moat of some sort. Ahead of us, there was a staircase leading up to a single elevator. Lush plants adorned the hallways in large vases. A few students walked around, looking relaxed and speaking in hushed tones.

"It's nice to see my squad back in one piece."

I snapped out of my thoughts to see the black-haired girl smiling at me. I noticed that Zell and Selphie had walked off, and Squall stood talking to the headmaster and Instructor.

"I hope we won't lose marks for withdrawing with another squad." Nida said from beside me. I looked between them in confusion. Then I realized something. _This must be Xu!_

Xu furrowed her brows. "I don't think they'll take marks off for that. The orders were to withdraw and that's what you did." She looked at us and smiled, then walked back towards the others.

Nida breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to me. "I hope we both pass."

I nodded.

He smiled weakly, his forehead glistening with sweat. _He must be really nervous._

"Hey, let's go walk around," I said, trying to change the subject. I pulled him towards the right hallway, where Squall had already started walking.

"I'm just going to stay here for a while," Nida said, and nodded for me to go on ahead.

I followed Squall around the hallway, keeping a distance. The sound of flowing water became clearer as I walked. I looked up to see a fountain shaped like a giant fish made of stone with water pouring out of its mouth. There were more of them going around the moat, around which curved the hallway. There were pathways leading away from the hallway into separate rooms. It reminded me of the rims of a wheel; a circle with spokes leading away. I stared around, and barely noticing that Squall had stopped walking, slammed right into him.

A scream involuntarily left me as I tumbled to the ground. _Ow..._ I heard a dry chuckle as I sat up and looked up to see Seifer smirking at me. I glared daggers at him and could feel my cheeks getting hot. _If only looks could kill._

"Are you okay?" asked Squall as he offered his hand. I grabbed it and he helped me get back on my feet.

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't realize you stopped walking." I answered, embarrassed that I hadn't been paying attention to where I was going.

He shook his head and turned back to Seifer, who now stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a rather sour expression on his face. He turned to Squall. "Did you hear about the communication tower in Dollet?" he asked.

Squall shook his head.

Seifer scoffed. "We would have been heroes if it weren't for that withdraw Order!" He looked dubious.

Squall shrugged, and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps heading closer. I turned to see the instructor and Xu walk towards us. Instructor was looking at Seifer with a dubious expression to rival his own.

"You were only looking for a fight," she spat.

Seifer glared at her. "My dear instructor," he said in a mocking tone. "I'm hurt. Those are rather cruel words for an aspiring student." His face contorted in anger as he added, "a mediocre instructor like you will never understand." He smiled without humor.

_That was unnecessarily harsh._I looked at Quistis. She stared at Seifer with wide eyes, too shocked to say anything. There was a heavy silence in the air, and I took the opportunity to step away inconspicuously.

_I don't need to be a part of that._ It had seemed like there was going to be another argument between Quistis and Seifer, and I didn't want to stick around to see how it would go.

I walked towards the nearest hallway, in front of which was a sign that said "Library" in bold blue letters. I walked into the arched, narrow hallway, at the end of which was a large wooden door.

As I walked towards it, it slammed open, and out came a robed man with a flat yellow hat that covered up his face. I stood rooted, staring, as he walked towards me, and passed right by. _What in the world is he wearing?_ I shook my head, shrugged and made my way to the door.

"ALL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S FIELD EXAM, REPORT TO THE SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY." blared the loudspeakers, making me jump.

I sighed_. I guess that would include me._

I arrived at the lobby a couple of minutes later to find it empty. A robed man stood at the other end, blocking the left hallway. As I climbed up the stairs, I saw trench-coat guy getting into the elevator, and rushed to get in. I was pretty sure I would get lost without having anyone to follow.

_Ding!_ The elevator doors closed in on my awkwardness.

"So..." I cleared my throat. "How do you think you did?"

"What's it to you, trying to find out if you were better than me?" he raised a blond eyebrow at me, but there was no hint of jest on his face.

"I was just making conversation," I blurted rather defensively, taken aback by his inexplicable disgust.

_Ding._ "How about you stop trying to be my friend and stay the hell away from me."

I stared after him as he sauntered out with a swish of his trench coat. I'd never met anyone so unpleasant.

Shaking my head, I followed him out, keeping a distance. But I didn't have far to go. The elevator opened up to a short bridge hanging over the first floor of Garden. It led straight into a corridor, where a crowd of about ten people was gathered.

I could see Zell pacing along the corridor, disappearing and reappearing from view. Spotting Nida leaning on the far side wall, I went over to him. He looked up from his shoes as he saw me approach, his face looking pale and clammy.

He gulped, then whispered, "I wish they would hurry up."

"I know! This tension is killing me!" squealed the flippy-haired girl from earlier whose name I'd forgotten. "Oh good, the faculty member is here."

There was a sudden noise like a cat coughing up a fur ball. We all turned to the figure of a robed man, who stood rigidly in the doorway. He seemed to be concentrating on a scroll in his abnormally large hands before looking up. "Please proceed to the Headmaster's office if I call your name," he spoke in a jarringly guttural voice, and I resisted the urge to stick my fingers in my ears.

"Tilmitt, Selphie," he continued.

The flippy girl jumped and clapped her hands before skipping out into the hallway.

Nida's name was called next. He looked around disbelievingly for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and soberly walking out into the hallway.

When, "Dincht, Zell" was called, it was as if an explosion had taken place. Zell pumped a fist in the air enthusiastically, screamed, "Oh yeah!" and marched band-geek style out of the corridor.

Watching Zell go, the robed faculty member shook his head and cleared his throat again. "Squall Leonhart from Squad B. Please step forward."

I looked at Squall and smiled. He nodded, and walked off after Zell, a slight strut in his step. Seifer rolled his eyes.

After Squall had completely disappeared, the faculty member cleared his throat in that cat-coughing-up-fur-ball way. "Kou." He looked around. "Kou, Izzy."

"WHAT?" I yelled, drawing all eyes on me. I felt my face flush as I stared at the man in disbelief.

"Please step forward," he said rather sternly, staring at me pointedly.

_This can't be right._ I stepped out of the hallway and onto the bridge. _There has to be a mistake._ I followed Squall and Zell as they got into the elevator. Zell was absolutely beaming. Squall was composed, but there was a spark in his eyes that I hadn't yet seen. _I'll just have to explain that I'm not Izzy, they'll understand._

We stepped out onto a lush scarlet rug when the elevator opened. In front of us stood open a double door through which stood Selphie and Nida. They faced away from us. We stepped inside the room, which was an office with an oak desk facing a floor-to-ceiling window. The sun had nearly set by now, shading the sky in hues of pink and violet. The Headmaster stood in front of his desk, with one of the robed men next to it. I stepped beside Nida, who, along with the others, was saluting. I looked ahead to see the Headmaster smiling at us, his eyes sparkling. I saluted him nervously. _What have I gotten into?_

"First of all, congratulations." He looked at each of us in turn. His gaze was warm, but it didn't erase the feeling of dread knowing at my stomach. "However," he continued, "From now on, as members of SeeD, you will be dispatched all over the world." He beamed. "We are proud to introduce SeeD, Balamb Garden's mercenary soldiers." He paused for effect. "SeeD soldiers are combat specialists. But, that is only one aspect of SeeD. When the time comes…"

The robed man standing next to him cut him off. "Headmaster. It's almost time for the meeting. Please make this short."

Headmaster Cid's smile faltered for a second. He cleared his throat to speak, but was cut off again.

"SeeD is a valuable asset to the Garden." We all turned towards the robed man. "Its reputation is solely dependant on each one of you. Handle your mission with care." His voice had a slight warning tone.

I gulped. _Just tell the headmaster what your situation is._

"Here is your rank report." The man declared. He looked at Headmaster Cid expectantly. The Headmaster stepped up to Selphie and handed her a piece of paper. He whispered something to her and she smiled. Next he turned to Nida, handed him his report, and whispered, "Do your best, even if you don't stand out."

_Not stand out? He looks like he descended from a freaking Greek god!_

Cid walked in front of me. I looked up at him, feeling sweat prickling at my forehead. He smiled, the sides of his eyes crinkling. He handed me a report. "We thought we lost you out there, but you showed admirable perseverance," he whispered. I gave him a weak smile and he moved over to give Zell his report. I looked down at the piece of paper. There were marks based on various areas of battle.

After handing Squall his report, Headmaster Cid stood once more in the middle of the room. He beamed. "This ends the SeeD inauguration. Dismissed!"

The group broke up, and the others walked out of the room. I stood awkwardly. _I have to tell him._ My heart was pounding.

"Headmaster Cid must get to a meeting. Is there something of importance?" asked the robed man.

I gulped. _How am I going to say it?_

**_ 'Don't tell them.'_**

_'Siren? You know?'_

**_ 'Trust me, you shouldn't say anything.'_** Her voice sounded urgent and demanding.

"Well?"

I looked up at the robed man, still unable to see his face. Headmaster Cid looked at me expectantly. I felt my stomach sinking. "I, uh…"

**_'Don't do it'_**

"Um… I just wanted to thank you." I mumbled. I gave him a weak smile, and promptly turned around and jogged out of the room.

'_Why did you stop me?'_ I asked Siren angrily. She didn't answer. _'Siren!'_

**_'I read your brain frequencies. As time goes by, I understand more about you.'_**

_'But why did you stop me? He could have helped me!'_

**_'Look, I know you're angry, but just trust me, okay?' _**Her voice was commanding, but there was a subtle pleading tone to it.

I sighed. _'Are you going to tell me?'_

I felt Siren's annoyance overtake my anger. **_'You'll know in time. I can detect danger, and that's what I felt was coming.'_** Her tone had finality to it, and I didn't argue any further.

I sighed. "I hope I can trust you."

**_'Definitely!' _**She sounded cheery all of a sudden, but didn't say any more.

I sighed, trying to ignore that a new feeling of hopelessness that had accumulated itself around my chest. If I couldn't tell the Headmaster, where else would I get information about the sorceress?

* * *

A/N: Had to end it there. I hate changing canon, but for the purposes of this story, I needed Izzy to become a SeeD. And it doesn't horribly alter canon either, so no harm done :)

*The review button is lonely and awaits your cursor to click it*

Thanks for reading!


	5. The Inauguration Ball

To say I was angry with Siren was an understatement. As I stepped out of the elevator, I was positively seething knowing that there wasn't anything I could do about the situation. Siren remained quiet, which added fuel to the fire. The others didn't seem to notice my sour mood, and I was glad. I didn't want to ruin their happiness over having passed their exam. _I bet this is what Izzy would have wanted._ Once again, I felt my heart sink in guilt. It was unfair that I was living her life here. _I wonder if she's living mine…_

Zell was marching back and forth, smiling like the Cheshire cat. Upon seeing me, he waved. Selphie chanted, "SeeD, SeeD, SeeD!" over and over again whilst skipping from one end of the hallway to the next. I couldn't help but smile, feeling my anger ebb away. _I can at least make the best of the situation while I'm still here._ Their happiness was contagious. I looked over at Nida, who was standing next to Squall. Both stood looking over the railing quietly, each lost in their thoughts. I went to stand next to Nida and leaned over the railing. Below, I could see the Garden lobby where two girls sat on a bench playing cards.

"We made it, huh?" Nida whispered.

I turned to him. He seemed as if he couldn't quite believe it himself.

I nodded.

"After seventeen years of suffering, I feel like my chance has finally arrived."

I gaped at him. _Suffering? _"You were great, Nida. Don't underestimate yourself."

He chuckled nervously. "Yeah, so were you." He scratched the back of his head, grinning nervously. _Maybe he's not used to receiving complements._

From the corner of my eye, I could see Squall looking at us. He had an unreadable expression on his face, which was wiped off as soon as he saw me look.

"Guys!" Zell boomed from behind us.

We turned around to see Zell and Selphie watching us expectantly.

"Let's go give one hell of a speech!" Zell pumped a fist in the air. He led the way down the bridge into the hallway. I followed the group at a bit of a distance. _If there's a speech, I'd rather be inconspicuous._ We reached the hallway, where the rest of the students waited. Seifer was the first person to start clapping, and soon all of the other students joined in. I looked at Seifer. He had a firm smile painted on his face, a smile that did not reach his eyes. He seemed to be looking at Squall in particular, his pale blue eyes glinting.

Zell led the way down the hall, which I noticed was spacious with a high ceiling. It also had marble floors and pot lights. _Talk about luxury. _We walked into the open door on the left, which turned out to be a classroom. The students that had not passed went to sit at the desks, while the rest of us stood around awkwardly, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Congratulations!" I turned around to see that Quistis had entered the room, followed by Xu and a man I didn't recognize.

I felt someone nudge my arm and turned to see Nida staring at the man. "What's Instructor Alaric doing here?"

I shrugged in reply. _Out of all the people you can ask…_

Instructor Alaric smiled at each of us before moving to stand in front of the teacher's desk. I gaped at him as he walked past. His dark-brown hair fell in waves down to his shoulders, and he had sparkling emerald eyes that I couldn't look away from. He seemed to command the attention of everyone in the room by the simple act of stepping in front of the desk. I shook my head and wiped off my grin. _Stop staring at him like an idiot._

"I'd like to congratulate our newest SeeDs." Alaric had a silky voice and spoke with an unidentifiable accent. He applauded, turning to face our group, and soon the rest of the class joined in.

"If you could step up and say a few words?" Alaric gestured to us.

Zell was the first to step in front of the class. He scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat. "Well, uh, we're really happy that we became SeeDs…" He grinned awkwardly while the rest of the classroom stared. _Way to make an eloquent speech, Zell._

'_**You shouldn't mock him.'**_

'_Yeah, yeah. I'm bad at public speaking.'_ I rolled my eyes. Siren giggled, and I couldn't help but crack a smile.

There was a heavy silence as all eyes stared at us. Squall stepped up next to Zell. "SeeD is a valuable asset to the Garden, and we will do out best to represent Garden and all that it stands for," he recited.

_He totally stole that from the inauguration speech._

There was a tense silence as everyone waited for more, but Squall remained quiet. Alaric started speaking to the room, but I didn't pay attention. Something had just occurred to me. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that I was a SeeD. Headmaster Cid had said that SeeDs were dispatched all over the world. If someone in Balamb didn't know anything about the Sorceress, there was a chance that people might know in different parts of the world. _If I can explore this world, maybe I can find a way out of here._

There was a jab at my back. _Maybe the Sorceress wasn't able to take over my body, and accidentally switched me with Izzy. That would mean she's not out wreaking trouble in my world._

Jab. _I hope so. If she's not in my world, then there's a chance I can find her here._

Another jab. "Argh, what?" I furiously turned around to see Nida, who put his hands up and stepped back.

"Everyone's leaving," he said defensively.

Sure enough, the students had left their seats and were walking towards the door. I felt my face flush and shot Nida an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't realize."

We followed the throng out into the hallway and started walking towards the elevator.

"I never thought I would be going to the inauguration party as a SeeD."

_There's a party? I really should have been paying attention._

I chuckled nervously. "Yeah, me neither."

Nida's jaw dropped. "What? You were entirely confident that you would pass!" He shook his head. "You don't have to lie for my sake."

_Lovely._ "Well… I was confident at first, but it's different when you're out on the field…" it wasn't a total lie; I had seen enough action movies to know that fighting seemed easier than it was.

He looked at me sceptically.

"Besides, you're a great fighter." I said sincerely.

He chuckled dryly, "They wouldn't let me pass if I wasn't. It's just..." he paused, a far-off expression in his eyes. He shook his head lightly. "Never mind."

"Well, the important thing is that you passed!" I patted his shoulder.

That seemed to cheer him up, and he was grinning by the time we reached the bottom floor. We stepped out of the elevator to find the hallway emptying. A few stray students were rushing out of the lobby and milling into the adjacent hallways. I saw Squall disappear around the hallway where we had run into Seifer. We walked down the steps and turned into the same hallway. I couldn't help but admire the fountains as we passed. Above, the sky was inky blue, littered with starts, clearly visible through the glass ceiling. From my angle, I could see the golden halo that glinted marvellously in the night sky. We passed two more hallways until we reached the one that had a sign in front of it saying, "Dormitory." We walked down the hallway in silence, the only sound being our footsteps on the marble floor and crickets chirping in the distance. Soon we reached a fork in the hallway.

"Hey, um, I wanted to ask you something," Nida said, shuffling his feet and not meeting my eyes.

_Crap. _I gulped. "What's up?"

"Can I..." He released a breath as he trailed off.

I stared at him, confused as to why he was so nervous.

"Can I pick you up for the ball?"

"What? Yeah!" I grinned, relieved, because I'd been expecting something like 'Why are you acting different?'

Nida smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Great! Well, see you!" Nida waved as he turned around and disappeared down the left fork.

I stood staring after him, not sure where I was supposed to go. Just then, I noticed a sign on the wall that said "Girl's dormitory" in glaring red letters with an arrow pointing to the right. _Of course. _Blushing, I turned into the right hallway. The floor had a royal red and blue rug with abstract patterns on it. Pot lights shone down on me as I walked, illuminating the peachy tone of the walls. _My apartment back home sucks compared to this. _I thought of the generic white walls and the colourless rug in the hallway of my apartment building. I passed closed wooden doors, some of which had signs on them with names of the students they belonged to. _Oh man, I actually miss school…_ Sure I moaned and complained about school, but it was like home to me. I actually missed my roommate, Rachael, who regardless of being loud, was a fun person to live with. My heart sank. _How long till I can go home?_

I heard Siren sigh in my head, but she didn't say anything. Neither did I, as I was afraid that I might end up yelling at her again. She still had not offered an explanation as to why she had stopped me from revealing my identity.

"Izzy!"

I looked ahead to see Selphie waving. She was standing in front of an open dorm room door. I smiled as I walked towards her and opened my mouth to say hello but she cut me off. "What do you think?" She gestured to her uniform and twirled to show it off. It looked similar to the previous uniform, except it was black with a pleated, knee-length skirt. There was a large red silk tie adorning the cropped black and golden jacket.

"Looks great!" I grinned.

"Hee!" she smiled. "Aren't you going to change into your SeeD uniform?"

I nodded. _If only I knew where my room is supposed to be._

"I put it on your bed, hope you don't mind!" She ushered me through the open door. _Well that was convenient._

I turned to her. "Thanks!"

She smiled in response. "I'm gonna go get Squall. See you at the party!" She waved and ran off down the hall, her short, flipped hair bouncing.

I walked back into the room and looked around appreciatively. It was a long rectangular sitting room with a round wooden table in the middle. To the left were a small sink and a mini-fridge, which served as a kitchen area. Two doorways led off into identical bedrooms. _Now which one is mine? _I walked into the first bedroom and was instantly hit by the strong fragrance of lilacs. There was a single bed, on which lay the SeeD uniform. I sat down on the bed and ran my hands through the fabric. It felt like cotton and a softer material that I couldn't identify. _This is what Izzy should be doing right now._ I wondered where she was, if she was even alive. Was she really in my body, living my life back on earth? _Is she feeling the same as I am?_ I sighed. _I should do my best to keep her life normal. _I hoped she would do the same if she were in my place.

'_**You should get ready,'**_ Siren said softly.

"Yeah," I answered absently. I got up and looked around the room. There was a bedside table, on which was a vase filled with lilacs. The walls were decorated with posters of people in combat, most of them brandishing a circular weapon with a blade around it. _That must be a pinwheel._ A door stood ajar opposite the bed, and I could see that it was a bathroom. I made my way over to it.

'_**It'll probably be better if you unequip me, you don't need my power at the party.'**_

I started. _'How do I do that?'_

'_**Just ask, and concentrate on me leaving your mind.'**_

'_That's it? Okay… can you please leave my mind?' _I closed my eyes and pictured my mind being blank. My fingers started to tingle, and I felt Siren's spirit leaving my body.

'_**Until next time,' **_she said, her voice growing faint.

I cupped my hands and Siren's golden stone appeared in my palms, which I put carefully on the table. I felt empty somehow, but it was kind of nice not having another voice in my head. Shrugging, I grabbed a towel from the closet and stepped into the bathroom to take a much-needed shower. I peeled off the dirty clothes and threw them in a hamper by the door. The warm water was soothing, and I cleared my mind. Ten minutes later, I stepped out refreshed. I stared in the mirror at the face that was not mine. There was only a second of surprise before I grabbed a comb and started detangling the long blond hair. _She's completely different from me._ Her face was heart-shaped, with pouty lips and round cerulean eyes. I wondered if Izzy had been surprised to find a shorter, darker girl with a different face when she looked in a mirror. It's strange; you take for granted how familiar the simple act of looking in the mirror is. Just seeing someone else's face was so abject and strange. I shook my head. _No use thinking about this stuff._ I would have to accept that I was borrowing Izzy's body for the time being, and there was nothing I could do about it.

Twenty minutes later, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in Izzy's bedroom, tying the silk tie over my coat. There was a soft knocking on the door. I opened it to see Nida, smiling in a strained way. He was wearing his SeeD uniform, which instead of a silk tie had a chain running across the chest. His hair was slicked back, and looked darker and neater than usual.

"You look nice," I grinned.

"Thanks, you too." He scratched the back of his head. "Ready to go?"

I nodded, and we made our way out of the dormitories. Nida talked excitedly about his family. "Wait till I tell my sister!" he said, smiling. I listened quietly, nodding at appropriate moments. By the time we arrived at the party, he was buzzing with excitement. I couldn't help but share in the excitement. _Just try to have fun._

The ballroom was grand, with marble floors and stone pillars leading up to a high, glass ceiling, beyond which the night sky was visible. Classical music blared around us, drowned out slightly by the sounds of laughing and chattering students. On the left of the entrance was an arched doorway that led out to a balcony. Over the doorway hung a banner with the words, "Congratulations, Balamb Garden's newest SeeDs!" decorated with balloons and streamers. There was a circular dance floor in the middle of the room, which was enveloped in two sets of staircases leading up onto the second floor. Couples waltzed and I noticed a few of them wearing SeeD uniforms. Some students hung over the second floor balconies, chatting or watching the party. Tables of snacks and champagne were littered around the walls, with students standing around eating and talking. I noticed Zell standing by the table closest to us, looking quite snappy in his SeeD uniform. He was enthusiastically piling his plate with food. My stomach rumbled. I turned to Nida, who was watching me with amusement. I shrugged and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go get some food," I dragged him over to the refreshment table, ignoring his protest.

_Holy hell! _There were sandwiches and wraps of different sizes displayed on golden platters. A small crystal fountain stood as the centrepiece, with sparkling champagne flowing down into a wide crystal bowl. There were vegetable platters with differently coloured dips, and platters of sushi and caviar. And the smell! I felt my mouth watering, and grabbed a fancy ceramic plate and started loading it with anything I could get my hands on.

"Stocking up?"

I looked up to see Zell watching me with a smirk on his face.

_He's one to talk._ His plate was practically spilling over with food.

"I could say the same for you," I replied, feeling laughter bubbling up. I bit into a sandwich that tasted like tuna. _Hmm…_ I gulped it down and took another bite. _Sweet, dependable food._

Zell looked at his plate and chuckled. "Man, I never get hotdogs at the cafeteria!"

"So seize the moment, I say! Let there be hotdogs for all!" I said in a mock British accent, holding my arm out dramatically.

Zell gave me a weird look and then burst out laughing, drawing the attention of Nida.

He stared at us blankly, and then turned his head towards the balcony. I followed his gaze to see a pretty girl in a shimmery red dress. She immediately turned her face away and sipped on a glass of champagne. I looked from her to Nida, a smile forming on my lips.

I nudged him in the elbow and he turned towards me, startled. "What?"

I smiled innocently. "I think someone's trying to get your attention."

He raised an eyebrow, his cheeks turning pink. "What are you talking about?"

I stifled a giggle and looked towards the girl. She kept sending subtle gazes Nida's way, trying to catch his attention. "I think she wants you to talk to her."

He followed my gaze and looked back immediately. His face was red, and he looked down at his shoes. "You want me to go talk to her?"

"Come on!" I urged, "You're a SeeD! Tell her about how you passed the exam." I turned to Zell expectantly and nudged my head towards Nida.

Zell looked at the two of us with confusion. "Oh! Yeah, totally! Before someone else does!"

I smiled at him appreciatively before turning back to Nida. "He's right!" I shoved him away from the table.

He turned to me, looking confused for some reason, "You want me to talk to her?" he asked incredulously.

Startled, I nodded. "Well, if you want to..." a smile found it's way on my lips. "She's pretty, and won't stop looking at you. Bow chika bow wow and all that..."

He gave me a concerned look for a few seconds, but then shrugged, and depositing his drink back on the table, stepped away. "If you want me to, Izzy..." He flashed me that same confused look behind his back before timidly walking towards the girl. She watched him approach from the corner of her eye. Nida introduced himself. He must have asked her to dance because she smiled and nodded, and the next moment, she took his arm as he led her towards the dance floor. Nida looked over his shoulder, a small smile building on his lips. I gave him a thumbs-up.

"Ahh, young love," said Zell with a smirk on his face.

I nodded and watched couples waltzing smoothly across the dance floor. I felt a little proud. This was the first time since I had been in this world that I truly felt like myself. _I guess this place is starting to grow on me._

I turned back to Zell, but suddenly felt my neck prickle and looked across the room. My gaze collided with a pair of dark blue eyes that looked away instantly. I furrowed my brows. It had lasted a second, but I had caught that same unidentifiable expression on Squall's face from earlier before he looked away. _What's his problem? _

"Why doesn't he talk to anyone?" I asked Zell.

"Hmm?" His mouth was filled with a hotdog, which he had shoved whole. He gulped it down with a huge sip of champagne.

I pointed at Squall.

Zell shrugged. "Squall just likes keeping to himself." He drowned his champagne and put the empty glass on the table. "Let's go congratulate him," he shouted, and started walking to the other end of the room, squeezing his way though a congregation of students.

I followed him, muttering apologies to the people he unconsciously shoved aside. _I guess he can't help it._

I arrived at the other side of the room, a little annoyed that we couldn't have walked around the crowd.

"What took you so long?" Zell asked.

_There was a huge crowd, in case you didn't notice. _I opened my mouth to answer.

"Tch! Whatever. There's Squall." He turned and pointed to Squall, who stood leaning alone against a pillar, sipping a glass of champagne and a looking around with a rather bored expression. "Yo!" Zell shouted in order to get Squall's attention.

Squall's eyes travelled over to us as we approached him, and I gave a small wave.

"S'up, Squall?" Zell greeted enthusiastically.

Squall nodded, and then looked away, taking another sip out of his glass.

Zell was undeterred by Squall's aloofness. He chuckled and put a hand on his hip. "Guess we're SeeDs now, huh?"

Squall didn't respond, but just stared at Zell blankly.

Zell wiped his hand on his pants before extending it for Squall to shake. "Put it there, man!" He grinned.

Squall just sipped his champagne and looked away towards the dance floor.

_Talk about rude._

Zell's smile faltered, and his shoulders sunk. "Heh, even as a SeeD, you're still the same." He shook his head and sighed. "Well, that's typical of you," Zell continued, standing up straighter. "See ya." He gave a mock salute and turned to me. "Let's let Squall enjoy the party," he whispered, and walked off toward the other side of the room.

I walked over to the pillar and leaned next to Squall, who, it seemed, was trying hard to ignore me. "You could have at least shaken his hand."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Whatever," he muttered.

I furrowed my brows. "You're not the most social person, are you?"

He stared at me, "You're one to talk." _That expression again._

"Excuse me?" I sputtered as I gaped at him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Well, before the SeeD exam, I always had you pegged as the silent type. Now you're walking around like a completely different person." His gaze pierced through me, and I felt sweat prickling on my forehead. _Does he know something?_

"Why do you care?" I blurted.

He shrugged. "I don't. Just something I observed." He looked over at the dance floor and sipped his champagne. I waited for him to say something else, but he remained quiet and went back to ignoring my presence.

I looked over at the dance floor. Nida was still dancing with the girl in red, who was talking animatedly. _If Squall noticed something, I'm sure other people did._ Then I remembered Nida had said the same thing. "You're like a different person."I was convinced that it wouldn't be long until someone figured out I wasn't Izzy. Sure I looked like her, but a someone's personality shows through their behaviour, not their appearance, and I didn't even know what kind of person Izzy was. I would have to tell someone about the woman in the forest, and how she had sent me here. The only person I could think of telling at this point was Nida. I looked over at him. He was now making his way off the dance floor, and over to the refreshment table, his face flushed.

I made my way over to him, being careful to avoid walking through the crowd. I reached the refreshment table to find Nida holding two glasses under the champagne fountain. He looked up when he saw me approach and smiled widely. His face was flushed deeply and his hair was ruffled.

Momentarily forgetting my seriousness, I asked, "having fun?"

He nodded, his expression becoming serious. "Yeah…but what about you?"

I laughed. "What about me?"

He furrowed his brows, honey-brown eyes masked in confusion.

I shook my head. "Never mind. I actually need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

I felt sweat beading my forehead and looked towards the dance floor, where Nida's dance partner was watching with an annoyed expression on her face. I turned back to Nida.

"Er...I'll tell you after the party," I lowered my voice to a whisper, "your dance partner is glaring daggers at me."

He glanced at her for a second before turning back, and opened his mouth to say something.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Look, just have fun!" I chuckled half-heartedly. "I'll tell you later." I pushed him towards the dance floor, being careful that he didn't spill his drinks. He cast me a worried look behind his back before shrugging and joining the blond girl.

I stared after him blankly and gulped. _How am I supposed to do this?_ I watched as he handed the girl her champagne, and together they walked off the dance floor towards the balcony. Nida looked back at me, but I waved nonchalantly and watched as they disappeared into the night. _How will he react once I tell him?_ My heart was hammering, I hated giving bad news. I knew I would be angry if my best friend was taken over by someone else. _Trevor…_

My stomach curled at the thought that something had happened to him. I hoped he'd somehow found a way to get away from the sorceress. What about my parents? Were they aware that their daughter was not with them? If our bodies had been switched, did Izzy even manage to find her way to my house? Or at least to a police station? I shook my head. _Asking unanswerable questions will only make me sadder._

I diverted my attention to the party and looked around to see whom I would recognize. A red-haired boy wearing a suit waved as he passed by. I waved back half-heartedly. The music was now upbeat and pumped throughout the room, drowning out all else. Across the dance floor, I could see Seifer with his arm wrapped around a girl's waist. They stood talking to the silver-haired girl and burly dark-skinned boy from earlier. I took another sip of champagne and looked away from them. Squall was still standing at the same spot by the entrance, looking up at the sky. _I never thought he would notice. He seems uninterested by other people. _I shook my head and looked towards the dance floor. Zell was dancing with a brunette, who tried to mimic his pumping moves. I sighed. _Who would have thought that I would be bored at a party?_ I was usually the girl in the middle of the dance floor, pulling out silly moves for the amusement of her friends.

_I wonder what Izzy's like._ Squall had mentioned that she was quiet, but that wasn't much to go on. Then something occurred to me. _Her room! _Why hadn't I thought of searching her room earlier? I was sure I could find tonnes of things in her room that would show something about her personality. Depositing my champagne glass on the table, I made my around the crowd of students and towards the entrance, being careful to avoid Squall's line of vision. _Not that he'll acknowledge my presence._ I rolled my eyes. Who cared if Squall noticed I was different? Pretty soon, I would come clean anyway. _So why do I feel sick to my stomach?_

I slipped inconspicuously past Squall and out into the hallway leading out to the second floor of the Garden. I cast a quick glance behind me to see if someone had noticed me leave the party.

"Frick!" For the second time on the same day, I lost my balance and my butt slammed into the ground. _Ow..._ I looked up to see Instructor Alaric, his face contorted as if he was trying hard not to laugh. I felt my face heat up as I pushed myself off the ground. Without a word, I tried to slip past him, but he held out his arm to stop me.

"Leaving your own party?" he drawled.

I turned to look at him, feeling my face burn. He was wearing a deep plum tuxedo, with long coattails. His long brown hair was tied back, with a few strands framing his face. _All he needs is a top hat to look exactly like a circus ringleader_. I scratched the back of my head. "I was just going to take a walk."

He tilted his head to the side and gave me a look that I couldn't decipher. "Can I join you?"

I gaped_. That was unexpected. _His eyes were a mask of hesitation and… _Is that guilt?_

I really wanted to search Izzy's room, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him no. I nodded slowly, "sure."

His face lit up. "Great! I really wanted to talk to you, Izzy."

_What have I gotten myself into? _"Actually, I uh…"

He put a hand on my back and led me down the hallway. "Great! Let's go before someone sees us leave."

We walked to down the hallway in silence. I looked straight ahead, unsure of whether I was supposed to know him. We soon reached the end, which turned right into the bridge leading to the elevator.

Alaric put a hand on my shoulder. "Izzy," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

I furrowed my brows in confusion and turned to face him.

He shook his head and sighed, crossing his arms. "Well, first of all, I wanted to congratulate you on passing your SeeD exam…" he trailed off. He reached a hand to his eyes and rubbed them with his thumb.

"Thanks…" it came out sounding like a question.

He suddenly grabbed my shoulders and looked into my eyes. "I heard what happened! You were almost killed out on the battlefield!"

I gaped at him and tried to step back, but his grip was strong. "Um… well, I…"

He loosened his grip on my shoulders, but didn't let go. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Izzy. When I heard… it's like something inside me just snapped." He shook his head violently, "It made me realize how important you are." He whispered.

"I, I don't know what to say." I gently brushed his hands off my shoulders. I chuckled nervously, not meeting his eyes. "This is the absolute worst time for you to tell me this."

His eyes darkened as his face fell. "I see…"

"Um... yeah," I bit my lower lip and sighed. "I'm not myself right now." _That was sugarcoating it._

He gave me a calculating look. "What…?"

I shook my head. "I think you should tell me later on, when it'll be," I paused, thinking of the right words, "better received."

"Oh, I get it," he scoffed, his face becoming angry. "It's about Nida, isn't it? I've noticed you two spending a lot of time together."

"What?" I laughed. "Nida and I are just…" _Wait a minute, how do I know what Izzy and Nida are?_ I stared at Alaric's expectant expression. _The sooner I find out more about her, the better. _"Gotta go."

Before he could say anything, I turned around the corner and ran down the bridge towards the elevator. A few seconds later, the elevator dinged open and I stepped inside. I sighed in relief to see that Alaric hadn't followed me. I punched in the button for floor one in frustration._ Am I going to have to run away from every situation?_ I couldn't possibly ask someone about what Izzy's life was like. If that didn't give my identity away, it would sure as hell land me a one-way ticket to a mental institution. _Or they might think I'm a sorceress possessing her._ My mind drifted back to the Sorceress in the forest. Had she intended to send me here? The image of her fingers pressing against my temples… had she been trying to possess me?

My head buzzed with questions as I walked towards Izzy's dorm. Sure I was taking this experience as it came, but how long would it be before I couldn't take it anymore? How long before I snapped and alienated everyone because I couldn't keep up this façade? My hands shook as I opened the door to Izzy's room, stepped inside, and quietly shut it behind me. Only one thing was for certain, and that my overwhelming desire to go home.

* * *

A/N: A note about Alaric: He is a very minor character. However, he isn't useless as he will reveal a lot about Izzy, but he shouldn't make an appearance again.

A little info about future chapters: They will be more lighthearted, there will be more interaction with the main characters, and Natasha will get over her shock. Stick around, dear readers!

OH! And check out my profile, there's a poll! Also, I've started a new forum! Details are on my profile, and I promise you'll be happy to participate in it :)


	6. A girl named Izzy

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for reading and favouriting/alerting this. I know there's a lot of "random OC gets sucked into FFVIII world" stories out there, so I appreciate that people are reading :)

Please take the time to review and tell me what you think as well, since I'd love to see your comments on this!

* * *

_Now where do I start?_ I scrutinized the room with hands on my hips. The walls were painted salmon pink, and the combat posters jumped out. A lace curtain was drawn over the window, hovering over the double bed, which was covered in matching pink and white lace sheets. _What's with this girl and pink?_ The room was rather boxy, with a door on my right leading into the shared bathroom. There was a sliding door on the opposite side, also serving as a full-size mirror.

I stepped over to it and slid it open to reveal a closet bursting with brightly coloured clothes. Reaching inside, I pulled out random articles, examining them for a few seconds before hanging them back. _It's nothing unordinary for a teenage girl._ There was a rack on top, neatly stacked with skirts and shorts. On the floor were littered a few pairs of shoes, mostly ankle boots in different colours. There was a cardboard box with a picture of a pinwheel on it, but it was empty. I sighed and closed the closet.

Next, I turned my attention to the cherry wood study table, which was neatly stacked with various textbooks of different sizes. _These might be useful._

I grabbed one named _A Brief History of Balamb Garden_ and opened it to a random page.

"Year 15 PSW, Balamb Garden installed new study panels in order to serve individualized functions for students planning on taking the SeeD exams. Students were able to access their GFs and train according to their level of proficiency."

_Study panel? I better check that out later._ I skipped a few pages ahead.

"…Balamb Garden remains the only Garden through which students may become fully fledged SeeDs. Transfer students increase…"

Bored, I shut the book and slipped it back in between _All about Guardian Forces_ and _General Combat Skills._ I was about to turn away when a bright red volume caught my eye: _The Sorceress War._ I pulled it out and forcefully cracked it open. The pages were fraying at the edges, as if the book had been opened one too many times. I scanned through the table of contents, stopping at 'Adel's rise to power,' and flipped the book to chapter two.

"Sorceress Adel rose to power in the central city of Esthar. Her reign ended with the beginning of the PSW era. During the years of her hold on Esthar…"

I flipped the page to reveal a full-size picture of Adel. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. _That's supposed to be a woman? _She looked like she had consumed one to many protein shakes laced with steroids. Her arms were tanned and muscular, with dark brown markings on them that reached her chest and looped over her androgynous face, which was surrounded by flyaway scarlet hair. She sneered at the camera, her obsidian eyes glinting maliciously. _Well, at least now I know not everyone in this world is gorgeous._

I flipped back to the table of contents, scanning it for something that might prove helpful. The entire book was about Adel's rise and fall from power, and she obviously was not the same sorceress from the forest. I closed the book and moved on to the desk drawers. There were only two small drawers that were full of basic stationary: pens, tape, a stapler and some notebooks. I flipped through the notebooks, but found nothing interesting in them except for doodles.

I moved towards the bedside table, the lilacs still fresh and fragrant, and propped open the top drawer. There were a variety of knick-knacks, some that looked like they could have been gifts from people Izzy knew. On top of the pile was a small pink envelope that looked like it had been torn open. Curiosity got the better of me and I reached inside to grasp the envelope. It was soft and tissue-like, and I carefully unwrapped it to reveal a glittery greeting card. There was a picture of two kittens playing in a field of grass, with the words "When words are not enough…" in hot pink italic letters. _This is so sappy._ I couldn't help but smirk as I opened the card. Inside, the long message someone had written was crossed out with the word LIAR in permanent marker. _Someone really must have pissed her off. _I squinted my eyes to try and make out the name. _Alaric?_ I dumped the card back into its envelope and shoved it back inside the drawer. It felt intrusive to read it.

Next, I opened the bottom, slightly bigger drawer. There were a few hand towels and socks strewn about, but nothing unordinary. I looked closer. The drawer looked smaller than it should have been. I fumbled around the bottom of the drawer, and the nail of my thumb caught on the edge. Using my other hand, I grabbed the edge and pulled to reveal a hidden compartment beneath the drawer. There was a small leather bound notebook, which I grabbed and pulled out before the piece of wood snapped back into place. _Why hide your diary this extensively?_ Was there something Izzy was hiding? Or was she just paranoid about her privacy being invaded?

Only a second of hesitation passed before I cracked open the black cover and peeked at the front page. Staring up at me was a self-portrait of Izzy sketched in pencil. _She's talented._ I flipped the page.

"May 14th:

Everyone is nervous about the fire cavern test, but I don't think it'll be that hard. What do they think we've been training for all this time? Nida took the test this morning and passed. I told him I knew he would, but he was surprised all the same. I can't wait to go tomorrow. I'm dying to get Ifrit as a GF! Plus Alaric will be with me. He better not go easy on me just because I'm his girlfriend."

_What? _I scrutinized the word "girlfriend". That would explain his behaviour. I flipped to the next entry.

"May 19th: I passed the Fire Cavern! Ifrit is amazing! He's strong, and just having him junctioned makes me feel like I can take on the world. Having his voice in my head is really cool. Alaric was helpful, but I did most of the work. Gotta go celebrate!"

The entry bluntly ended. I flipped a few entries. The words here were uneven, as if Izzy had dug the pen too hard into the paper.

"May 23rd: How could he do this to me a week before the SeeD exam? He ignored me all day in class, even though I raised my hands more than a few times. Then, after class when I tried to approach him, he left before I could say anything! He dumps me, and I'm the one who gets ignored. Wasn't he a teacher before he asked me to be his girlfriend? I should have known from the beginning… he said keeping it a secret would be 'romantic.' I could ruin his career…"

I couldn't read anymore. _No wonder Alaric was acting like that._ I flipped to the last entry in the book.

"May 31st: The SeeD exam is tomorrow, and a lot of us train together. Zell's always there whenever me and Nida go to train. Watching Nida train is so motivating. He's so focused, and it makes me think that I should just forget everything else when I'm training too. I told him that he motivates me today while we were training, and he blushed horribly. I don't get it, we've been friends forever, and he still gets embarrassed over a compliment."

I smirked. _Finally, something I agree with_. I continued reading.

"He noticed that I seemed down…I'm so confused. Should I tell Nida about Alaric? He might take it the wrong way though… how can I explain that I only wanted to move forward, that I am convinced Nida would never see me as more than a friend?"

_Geez, I thought I had issues…_ Izzy was a well of emotions when it came to her personal life. I shook my head. _Maybe I shouldn't judge her so harshly. _ I guessed the reason she kept her journal so securely hidden was because she only wrote in it when she was highly emotional. I flipped a few more pages, but the rest of the journal was blank. I sighed and pocketed it. Perhaps I could write in it so that when Izzy came back, she would know what to expect. I spotted Siren's stone, which was slightly glowing. _What would she say about my decision to tell Nida? _That was something I could deal with later. _There's no backing out now._

I stood up and took one last look around the room. _So what do I know so far? _Izzy seemed girly, from her room to the contents of her closet. She had dated a teacher, who might still have feelings for her. _She's in love with her best friend…_ Nida! I had forgotten all about the party! The clock on the wall showed 23:37. I had no idea when the party ended, but it was better not to take a chance. I abruptly got up and took a quick look into the mirror to fix Izzy's disheveled hair before zooming out of the door. I stepped out into the hallway, which thankfully was still empty and jogged down the hallway, around the moat, and into the elevator.

The party was near its end as I walked back into the ballroom five minutes later, slightly out of breath and sweating. A sigh of relief passed through my lips as I noticed that most of the people in SeeD uniforms were still present.

A woman wearing a striped blue dress shirt walked by, holding a tray. "Champagne?" she offered.

I grabbed the glass from her hand and smiled. "Thanks!"

She nodded and walked away.

Looking around nonchalantly, I sipped my champagne, as if I had never left the party at all. The crowds were thinning, and only a few couples remained on the dance floor. I looked up at the glass ceiling. The sky was sable dusted with sparkling stars. I smiled as I watched a shooting star streak by. At least one thing here was synonymous with Earth: the simple beauty of the night sky. Serene Violin music drifted around the room, and combined with pale yellow lighting, created a romantic atmosphere. I felt myself relaxing while I let the champagne bubble down my throat.

I watched the waltzing couples with slight amusement. _They're so proper. _Squall was dancing with a pretty black haired girl in a cream-coloured dress. Well, trying to anyway. He kept tripping over his own feet while the girl tried to lead the dance. She looked oddly familiar. _Isn't she the girl who was with Seifer earlier?_ Squall attempted to lead the dance, and bumped straight into Nida. I didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for Squall. My gaze fell over Nida, who I noticed was still dancing with the blonde in red. They were both smiling and I felt stomach sink. _If Izzy's in love with him, she's going to be pissed that I pushed him on some other girl. _I sighed. Was I dense or what? Nida had acted nervous around who he thought was Izzy; he'd definitely been hesitant to ask her to the dance. They probably had a _thing_ going on, and here I was making him spend the entire dance with some other girl.

My stomach curling, I shook the thoughts away. _It's not like I knew what was happening._

On the other side of the room, in front of the balcony entrance, Zell sat on one of the round tables by himself with a plate of food in front of him. _Man, how much does the guy eat? _

I made my way around the dance floor. The ballroom was slowly emptying now, with most people either dancing or hanging over the second floor balconies. I waved at Zell when I was close enough to his table.

"Izzy!" he exclaimed jovially. His cheeks were pink and his usually spiked hair ruffled.

"Hey," was my unenthusiastic reply.

With a scrape, he pushed the chair next to him out. "Sit, sit!" He patted the chair, causing it to buckle slightly.

I sat down hesitantly. He was grinning widely with a too-happy glint in his eye. My eyes travelled over to the table, where four empty champagne glasses sat beside the untouched plate of food. "Drank a little too much?"

He waved his hand. "Pfft! Two glasses is nothing."

I raised my eyebrow. "And what do you call four?" I pointed to the two farther glasses.

"Uh… nothing times two?" He scratched his head.

I couldn't help but burst out in a fit of giggles. A wave of nostalgia passed over me. If university campus life had taught me anything, it was how to distinguish the drunks from the non-drunks. I watched Zell as he looked around the ballroom, grinning maniacally and bouncing in his seat. He looked like a child at a wedding who is forced to behave like an adult. _Yup, definitely tipsy._

I watched him from the corner of my eye as I sipped my champagne. He abruptly stood up causing his chair to tumble to the ground. I nearly chocked on my drink. "What's wrong?" I sputtered.

He lowered his head and whispered, "Selphie's coming here," he pointed towards the balcony entrance.

I followed his finger to see Selphie scanning the ballroom with a rather determined look on her face. _Haven't seen her all night._

"Hey, Selph-oomph!"

Zell put his hand on my mouth. "Shh! She'll see us!"

I pulled away forcefully. "What is the matter with you?" I waved at Selphie, and she spotted me. She smiled and started to make her way over to our table. With a raised eyebrow, I turned back to Zell. "Care to explain why we shouldn't talk to Selphie?"

Zell scratched the back of his head and grimaced. "You'll see. Don't say I didn't warn you."

I started to laugh, but stopped myself. Judging by the look on his face, he seemed genuinely concerned.

"Hey guys!" Selphie exclaimed as she approached the table. She looked exhausted, her hair ruffled and her eyes tired and heavy-lidded. She smiled weakly and opened her mouth to say something, but Zell cut her off.

"Selphie! How's it going?" He waved his hands. "I'd love to chat, but I gotta go do…something. Bye!" with that, he turned around and ran off onto the dance floor.

I watched him disappear within the dancers and scratched my head. "What's up with him?"

Selphie shrugged. "Hey, Izzy, I was wondering," she bit her bottom lip before continuing, "Do you want to join the Garden Festival Committee?"

I stared at her blankly. _The what?_ "Um…"

"Please? You'll only have to help out whenever you have time." Her voice had a pleading tone to it and her eyes were wide and hopeful. It was quite endearing and I couldn't bring myself to look away.

"Sure," I answered, trying my best to sound enthusiastic.

Her face lit up and she clapped. "Great! This year's festival is going to be amazing! We'll work really hard and –"

"Wait, who's we?" _I should at least get acquainted with people I have to work with._

She looked at me sheepishly. "Well… so far, it's just me, you, and Squall. I've been trying to recruit more people, but most of them make an excuse." Her face fell.

_Uh oh, have I done something Izzy wouldn't want me to?_

"But I'm so glad you joined! Can you ask Nida? He'll probably join since you did. Thanks Izzy!" She waved and went off in the same direction Zell had gone.

I stood around awkwardly, hoping for the party to end soon. A look towards the dance floor revealed that Nida was still dancing. My stomach rumbled as I thought about what I had to do. _There's no turning back._ I had always been the type of person to follow through with my decisions, no matter how hard or painful they might be. _Sometimes I hate my stubbornness._

I looked up onto the second floor of the ballroom. Most of the balconies were emptying now, making the second floor look secluded. I placed the champagne glass on the table and made my way around the dance floor and up the right side staircase. There was a circular seating area just ahead of me, alit with a crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the domed ceiling. A group of students were draped over the plush suede couches. A black-haired girl waved and smiled and I waved back unenthusiastically before stepping on the set of steps leading up the opposite way. I climbed up to enter into a hallway of sorts, which had pathways leading away**.** Walking ahead, I reached an area that led off into a secluded balcony. From this angle, the dance floor was fully visible.

Along the walls crept vines of overgrown ferns. On the floor were dotted pots of white chrysanthemums that bathed the balcony in their woody smell and brought to mind images of late August afternoons. I leaned over the stone railing and watched the couples gliding across the dance floor. Violin music reverberated faintly up onto the second floor and I couldn't help but be reminded of home. My thoughts drifted to summer vacation after my brother Noah had finished his first year of college.

* * *

"We're going with or without you, Natasha," said Noah with finality in his voice.

I chewed my bottom lip. Noah had his mind made up, and nothing I could say would change his mind.

"Ok, we're leaving!" Noah revved our parent's blue Toyota Camry; his mischievous moss-green eyes alight with mayhem.

Without a second of hesitation, I grabbed the back door handle and shoved myself in the passenger seat and scooted towards the center. I crossed my arms glared into the rearview mirror.

Noah caught my angry expression and flashed me a lopsided smile. "Relax, sis. They'll never find out." He waved a hand in the air nonchalantly and floored the gas pedal.

Trevor turned around from his place in the front passenger seat and gave me an apologetic smile. "Don't worry, we'll be back before your parents get home, and no harm done."

Despite myself, I smiled back at him. Trevor was our neighbour and our families were old friends. According to my parents, a thirteen-month-old Trevor had managed to crawl into their doghouse and fallen asleep. My mother had brought the sleeping baby back to his hysterical parents and a new friendship had blossomed.

I watched him fiddle with the radio with a smirk on my face. I didn't know what amused me more: the thought of baby Trevor or the fact that he had managed to find a doghouse out of all places to make his bed.

Noah merged onto the highway, and I couldn't help but worry about getting caught by our parents. Sure, Noah was careful when he wanted to be, but out parents were strict, and stealing the car wasn't a way to inspire their happiness. I looked down at my nails and bit my lower lip.

"Cheer up, Natah!" called Noah, using the nickname he had come up with when he was three. "You love Wonderland!"

I felt anger ebbing away. I did love the theme park, and though I would never admit it out loud, I also loved Noah's spontaneous road trip ideas. I met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, but when we get caught…"

He rolled his eyes. "IF we get caught, our story is that Trevor kidnapped us." He looked at Trevor in mock innocence and pouted, "We won't do anything bad."

I shook my head at the lame joke while Trevor and Noah guffawed. At the same time, I knew that Noah wouldn't hesitate to keep us out of trouble. I sighed and scooted back into the seat, feeling calmer and letting excitement overtake me.

An hour and a half later, we pulled into the parking lot, buzzing with excitement. Peals of laughter drifted out to us as we watched the looping tracks of various roller coasters.

"WON-DER-LAND!" Noah chanted as he shifted the car into park.

I opened the door stepped out. I turned to Noah as he got out of the car and put a hand on my hip. "You know, I admire your enthusiasm right now, because when we get caught…"

He just smirked and waved his hand dismissively. "Tsk! You worry too much." He put his hand around my shoulder and said in a baby voice, "I won't let anything happen to my baby sister." He ruffled my hair with his fist.

"Quit it!" I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled away.

Noah's expression turned serious. "You trust your big brother, don't you?"

"Yes," I grinned, "you're right, let's just have fun!" I pumped my fist in the air.

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Trevor as he tapped my back and ran off towards the entrance. Noah and I followed, laughing and racing each other towards the gathering crowd.

* * *

I was suddenly jolted out of my reverie when my chin slammed on the stone handrail. Pain shot up the sides of my face and I groaned. _How long have I been daydreaming?_ I looked around the balcony and startled upon seeing a figure standing not far from where I was.

"When did you get here?" I blurted before I could stop myself.

The figure turned his face towards me and I realized it was Squall. He looked at me blankly and answered, "I've been here a while."

I felt my face flush. "Oh, I didn't notice you come in."

He shrugged and turned his attention back to the party.

I watched him with narrowed eyes. _This is the perfect chance to find out if he knows something. _I opened my mouth to talk, but Squall beat me to it.

"Is there something you need?" he asked impatiently, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

I scowled at his rudeness. "Yes, actually." I lowered my voice, "What do you know about me?"

"What?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you noticed that I was acting differently, and if Izzy is the kind of person who keeps to herself, she wouldn't draw a lot of attention, would she?"

His face became a mask of confusion as he scrutinized me. "Why are you talking in third person?"

_Damn. _"Just answer the question. How do you, who seem to be generally uninterested in other people, notice that I'm acting differently?"

He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Just because I'm a private person doesn't mean I'm ignorant to those around me."

I watched him expectantly.

He rolled his eyes and continued, "That's exactly it. You weren't someone who stood out before, and now you're suddenly drawing attention to yourself." He scrunched his eyebrows. "That would seem suspicious to anyone."

I gaped at him, feeling sweat beading my forehead. "Well… maybe sometimes people have a reason to change," I said lamely.

"That's not my problem," he said before turning back towards the railing.

I watched him with knitted brows and bit my bottom lip, but he didn't say any more. _Does that mean he doesn't care? _I turned back towards the party, feeling a sense of relief overtake me. Sure Squall was observant, but he wasn't bothered enough to pry deeper. _At least I know he hasn't said anything to anyone else._ I leaned over the railing and stared blankly at a brunet running around the room. _Why am I so scared?_ It wasn't being revealed that I feared, but the possibility of being alienated and deserted. Sure I liked solitude when the occasion called for it, but the thought of being completely alone was absolutely terrifying.

"Your friend was looking for you," drifted Squall's voice.

It took me a while to register his words. "Who?"

He pointed to the tables on the first floor. I looked down to see the brunet boy standing with his hands on his hips and his face scanning the crowds. It was Nida.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered and turned around. I trotted towards the stairs and nearly ran into someone. I gaped at her, momentarily stunned.

"Izzy!" Quistis exclaimed, taking a step back. She was wearing a peachy-coloured knee-length skirt with a matching sleeveless top. Her golden bangs framed her face and reached down past her shoulders. Her eyes were ice blue and I only now noticed that they had a natural squint to them. She looked beautiful.

I realized that I had been staring and shook my head. "Oh sorry," I said before I stepped around her and galloped down the stairs.

The party was ending and the few people that were left were heading towards the exits. The music had died down now, and students milled around the doors, whispering with flushed faces. I made my way over to the tables and spotted Nida standing alone, searching the room. I called his name and walked over to him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed once I was close enough. His honey-coloured eyes were sparkling and he was grinning ear to ear.

I smiled back and asked, "Did you have fun?"

He nodded enthusiastically and ran his fingers through his hair. A blush crept up his face. "You said you wanted to talk?" he asked, his expression becoming serious.

I nodded and rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah, can we go somewhere private?"

Nida furrowed his brows for a moment before nodding. "Let's go to the training center."

_Training center?_ I shrugged as he led me quietly towards the exit of the ballroom. I absently looked around at the students and once again felt my stomach turn. I swallowed the lump in my throat and wished for the first time that Siren was with me. At least I wouldn't have to face a confrontation alone. I followed Nida without paying attention.

A burly arm came out of nowhere to obstruct my way. "Girls are not allowed in the boy's dormitory after curfew."

I looked up into the narrowed, beady eyes of a robed man and blinked a few times. I stepped back and looked around. _Whoa. Did I completely zone out?_ We were standing in the hallway that led off into the different dormitories.

"Promiscuity will not be tolerated in Balamb Garden," the man's eyes glinted, and although I couldn't see the rest of his face, I was pretty sure he was frowning.

I felt my face grow hot. "That's not what-," I sputtered angrily.

The man looked down at me reproachfully, and I looked away from him to Nida, who looked like he wanted to laugh.

"Meet me in front of the training center. Make sure you're fully equipped," he said before waving and walking off down the hall.

I turned around and made my way silently down the girl's dorm. The hallway was crowded with whispering and giggling girls. Avoiding meeting anyone's eyes, I slipped quietly into Izzy's dorm and closed the door behind me. Heavy rock music drifted out from the closed door of Izzy's roommate, and through the crack I could see that her light was on.

I entered Izzy's room, shut the door, and looked around. _I guess I should equip Siren._ Without a second of hesitation I hurled myself at the bedside table and grabbed the GF stone. I rubbed it and it came alive in my palm. It started to emit a pale golden glow that soon grew blindingly bright. I closed my eyes and inhaled. Tiny bubbles were popping on my skin, and when I opened my eyes, I welcomed the heightened sense of sight brought on by the power of Siren.

_**'Hello again.'**_

_ 'Hey Siren,' _I grinned.

_**'To the training center, shall we?'**_ It sounded like she was smiling.

I nodded and exited the room.

* * *

Five minutes later, I stood in front of the training center hallway, waiting impatiently for Nida to show up. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the air was pungent with the smell of chrysanthemums. I absently watched the water flowing out of the fish-shaped fountain in front of me. I followed the water as it pooled down into the moat. Different shaped coins wavered in the rippling water, seeming like tiny fish swimming around.

I ripped my gaze away from the water and looked down the hallway. _Where is he?_ The only people were the Garden faculty members that stood blocking the other hallways. It was discomforting to say the least.

Finally, a blur of black announced Nida's arrival. He walked towards me, and I noticed he had changed into jeans and a black t-shirt. On his hips was a holster loaded with two pistols.

"Why didn't you change?" he asked, as he got closer.

I shrugged. _Didn't know I had to._

We walked inside the training center, which was closed off with giant metal gates. Nida pressed a button to open them and we stepped inside.

_Whoa! _It felt as if we had been thrust into a forest. Leafy trees surrounded the place, which was divided into three chambers. On the left and right were metal doors, seeming out of place in the natural setting. It smelled like dew and I looked up to see that the training center opened up to the skies.

"So are you gonna tell me where you ran off to during the party?" Nida asked as we made our way through the right side door.

I glanced at him before quickly looking down. "You noticed, huh?"

I felt him reach his hand towards my face and slightly stepped back. He brushed my hair away from my hands and I realized I had been pulling it. "Yes," he answered, "and I suppose you're also about to tell me the reason you've been acting strange lately."

I swallowed and looked up at him. His eyes were shadowed with concern and another emotion I couldn't read. He watched me intently, as if he was trying to gauge my emotions. I looked away instantly.

"Well, I guess I should tell you from the beginning," I paused and looked back up at him. "Please try not to say anything until I'm done."

He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips in confusion. Then he slowly nodded before whispering, "Okay."

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to talk, but before I got a chance to say anything, the bush behind Nida rustled. Out popped four green tentacles, followed by the plant-like body they were attached to. It approached us menacingly; it's bulbous lime-green body swaying on six rail-thin legs. I yelped and pulled Nida away from the creature, causing his foot to slam onto mine.

"Sorry!" he yelled as he caught sight of my pained expression.

I shook my head and focused my attention on the creature, which kept waving its leaf-green tentacles in the air. I stared at its face, which looked so much like an insect had bred with a plant to produce a sordid new species.

"Fira!" yelled Nida beside me, and a ball of fire popped into existence in his outstretched hands. I watched, entranced, as in a blur the fireball flew from Nida's hands and slammed into the plant creature. It squealed as it burned to the ground. I covered my nose with my sleeve as the smell of burning flesh entered my nostrils.

A second later, Nida grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the carcass. "Let's go to the 'secret area.' There won't be any monsters there."

I couldn't get the creature out of my mind. "Was that a moving plant?" I asked stupidly.

He turned around abruptly. "Are you serious?" He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized me.

I scratched the back of my head, "Yes..."

He looked at me with suspicion clouding his eyes. "Why-"

I waved a hand in the air dismissively. "We should get going before more monsters show up!"

He nodded and continued down the trail. We walked in silence and I purposefully avoided looking at him, instead choosing to look everywhere else. Water trickled down a small, rocky waterfall, down into a river that ran through the path. It wound within overhanging leaves and disappeared within the bushes. We crossed a bridge, which led off into a clearing surrounded by trees.

My stomach sank. If it weren't for the sorceress, I wouldn't be in this situation. _Why was she after me?_ She had known my name. Had she intended to send me here? If so, why me? _I don't even know who she is! _

"We're almost there," stated Nida behind his back. He didn't turn around. I stared at him, feeling my stomach rumble. _Why is it so hard to tell people the truth?_

Suddenly, the ground reverberated with a thump. I stopped dead in my tracks.

_Thump thump! _I grabbed Nida's shoulder and he turned around, his face a mask of confusion.

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

He nodded and put a finger on his lips. With his other hand he motioned for me to follow him.

A bloodcurdling roar filled the air, making some of the trees around us shake. _Thump thump thump._ Something was definitely coming closer. I looked behind me, but there was nothing.

I turned around and nearly ran into Nida, who stood rigid and gaping at a sight in front of him. I followed his gaze and my breath caught in my throat. Facing us was a twenty foot Tyrannosaurus Rex. _You've got to be kidding me._ It opened its mouth into another roar, razor sharp teeth on full display. Strands of spittle hung off in strings, vibrating with the sound.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," I squeaked, as the monster started to thump closer.

* * *

Cliffhanger! I promise the next chapter will be up very, very soon. Please leave all comments, questions, complaints in the form of a review :) Thanks for reading!


	7. Confrontations and battles

I was frozen. It couldn't be possible. Closing my eyes tightly, I tried to erase the image of the dinosaur that really had no purpose existing in this day and age.

'_**Natasha!'**_

No luck. Closing my eyes didn't erase the roar and ground-shaking footsteps as the T-Rex thudded towards us, nor did it block the distinct sweaty smell of fear I was sure was emanating from me.

"Get behind me!" Nida screamed, and when I didn't make a movement, he grasped my arm and pushed me aside. He had two pistols held out, waiting for the monster to come close enough.

The beast was a few feet away now. _Bang bang!_ Nida shot: once, twice, to no avail. The T-Rex roared as the bullets his its thick skin, undeterred, but now massively annoyed by two moronic students that dared try and harm it.

"Where's your pinwheel?" yelled Nida, pulling me to the ground as the T-Rex tried to swipe at him.

"I-I lost it d-during the exam!"

He paused reloading his gun to send me a shocked frown before standing up and facing the now roaring monster. He shot twice at its scarlet, leathery face, causing blood to spurt out in thick drops. It roared again, recoiling in pain.

Breathing hard, Nida crouched down to my level. "I'm gonna try and put it to sleep, and then we're gonna make a run for it!" exclaimed Nida as he pointed behind the T-Rex to an opening in the wall.

_Of course that's where we have to go._ He got back up, closed his eyes and held his hands to his temples to get the spell ready. I nodded vigorously and moved beside him, not knowing whether to run or stay put. The urge to run was paramount, but leaving Nida to fight alone was not an option.

'_**Get ready to run,'**_Siren coaxed.

I rolled my eyes. _And here I thought I would stand and entertain it__, Siren._

Siren's answer was drowned out as the next second the T-Rex made a swipe for me. I dodged it and dived to the ground a good distance away, leaving Nida to take the blow. His spell missed the T-Rex and went flying off into the trees. Nida landed on his back, his face contorted in pain, as the beast hovered over him.

Without thinking, I scrambled back on my feet and ran towards them. "Hey!" I screamed, and the T-Rex glanced at me for a second before turning back on Nida. I looked at Nida, who was trying to stand up. He reached for his pistols with shaking hands. Blood oozed out of the scratch in his arm, preventing him from putting any weight on it.

"Hey you!" I ran up to the T-Rex and kicked its scaly foot. It turned its face towards me and let out an ear-splitting roar, causing my eardrums to vibrate and my hair to fly. "W-why don't you try to catch me?" I cried stupidly as I turned around and started running the opposite way.

"What are you doing?" Nida screamed behind me, but I kept running.

The T-Rex's thunderous footsteps told me that I had succeeded in distracting it. It roared, but I had always been a fast runner, and I kept running until I reached a line of trees. I glanced back for a split second to see the T-Rex approaching, and hurled myself within the trees. Branches scratched at my arms and legs, but I managed to secure myself in between two overgrown stumps.

With a growl, the T-Rex poked his head in the trees, its filmy white eyes searching for me.

_**'Are you crazy?'**_ Siren shouted furiously.

_'Do you have a better idea?'_I snapped back. Now that the imminent threat was over, I felt incredibly stupid. Nida was a trained fighter, while I had never even harmed an insect during my life on Earth.

Suddenly, a snapping sound was heard and the tree I was leaning against started to tip over. I gaped as the T-Rex's face came into view. It pushed aside trees with its face and spotted me. A deafening roar filled the air as the beast opened its mouth in rage. Spittle hit my face, along with the nasty, rotten-smelling breath, as I stood rooted, unable to think or make a move as two rows of razor sharp teeth came closer.

_**'Summon me!'**_

I snapped out of the daze and dropped onto my knees and crawled to my left. _I don't know how…_ A second that felt like ages passed before the T-Rex brought its head down into the bushes and swung. The impact to my side caused me to go flying back into the clearing. I slid on the grass, feeling the skin on my hands peel. _That's definitely going to leave a bruise._ I attempted to scramble back up when the beast roared. I looked up apprehensively as it glared at me with its milky eyes before bringing its face down for another blow.

I covered my face with my arms. "Siren!" I screamed, and time seemed to stop. A few moments of silence passed before the scent of the ocean seeped into the air around me. I felt something leave my body, as if a spirit had decided it didn't want to possess me anymore. I looked up at the T-Rex, which was grunting in confusion. _So I'm not imagining things._

Suddenly, the ground was overtaken by a wave of seawater, which hit the T-Rex and sent it buckling backwards, but had no impact on me. I stared around as the floor of the training center became a turbulent sea. Out of the water appeared a slender woman with flowing blond hair and wearing what looked like a lime green bathing suit. She carried a golden harp in her dainty hands. Before advancing on the T-Rex, she turned around to smile at me. My mouth dropped and I gaped at her. Where her ears should have been, she had two long feathery wings that rippled fluidly in the non-existent breeze.

"Stay back!" She shouted in Siren's voice.

I stared, entranced, as she caressed the strings of her harp. A low, tinkling melody filled the air, causing the water to ripple and tide. A strong wave started up as I moved out of the way, but somehow I knew the wave could not hurt me. A strong gust of wind, and the wave moved violently towards the roaring T-Rex. It cried out as the wave hit it hard and knocked it to the ground, and as soon as everything had started, it suddenly ended.

The waves disappeared, and with it, so did Siren. I inhaled deeply as I felt Siren's spirit return to me. My body shook violently as I watched the T-Rex struggling to regain its posture.

_**'How did I do?'**_asked Siren, her voice slightly out of breath.

_'That was amazing!'_

I turned around before the T-Rex could regain its strength and started running the opposite way, feeling a cramp start up in my leg.

"Izzy!" Nida yelled as he ran towards me.

I motioned for him to run away, but he didn't heed my warning. A second later, the beast roared once again and the dreadful thumping announced that it had started chase.

I watched Nida with wide eyes as he tried to summon another sleep spell.

Groaning, I turned around to see the T-Rex approaching. _I have to distract it._Without a moment of hesitation, I hurled myself in the T-Rex's path. I waved my arms as it came closer, and the beast glared at me. I gulped as it let out another roar, this time louder. It made a swipe at me, and this time I didn't get a chance to roll away. Three claws dug into the soft flesh of my forearm and pain seared up my arm. Without a warning, the monster brought its head down and hit my body, causing me to tumble down onto my back. It glared at me; it's nostrils flaring with rage.

All of a sudden, a white ball of wind came out of nowhere and hit the monster right between the eyes. The T-Rex blinked several times before its eyes drooped. It swayed on the spot and then went limp as it tumbled to the ground, which reverberated with the impact. I gaped at the monster, which looked like it was innocently sleeping_._

"Are you okay?" Sturdy hands came to rest on my shaking shoulders and I stood up. I turned around to see Nida, his hair askew and his eyes wide.

I nodded slowly. "Let's get out of here."

"Hold on, you're bleeding," Nida said as he grabbed my arm. He searched in his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with pale green gel with a sticker on it saying 'Potion'. He uncorked the vial and tipped the contents onto my arm. The gel was cool and it tingled on contact, and in a matter of minutes I felt the skin on my arm stitching up.

"Thanks," I said and gave him an appreciative smile, "What about you? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm fine. Let's go before it wakes up," he answered and started leading me back towards the gap in the training center wall.

We soon reached the opening, through which I could see a balcony of sorts looking out into the night sky. We entered the 'secret area,' and I now noticed a familiar girl lingering over the balcony, talking to a guy wearing dark clothes.

"Let's go over there," said Nida as he grabbed my arm and led me towards a wooden bench sitting on the right side of the balcony.

I sat down beside him timidly, trying to avoid his gaze, and instead took in the scene around me. Vines crawled up the walls, bathing the balcony in their crisp scent. A couple sat huddled on the ground on the other side, oblivious to anything else but each other.

Nida cleared his throat, and I looked at his expectant gaze. I let out a shaky breath.

_**'You should start from the accident,'**_whispered Siren.

_'Thanks.'_

"Well? You said you wanted to talk?" Nida tilted his head to the side and scrutinized me.

I nodded. "I suppose I should start from the beginning," I started, "I'm not Izzy."

He narrowed his eyes, "Well I know you haven't been yourself lately, but-"

I put my hand up. "Let me explain," I told him about swerving to avoid the woman on the road, how the car had gone completely out of control. "There was this woman." I paused, shuddering on the memory. "She said she was a sorceress, and she did something to me."

Nida raised an eyebrow, "A sorceress?"

"Yes. After I got out of the car; I thought I'd just imagined her because – because of…" I trailed off._ Because she had no reason to come back, did she?_ Tugging on a strand of my hair, I continued, "Anyway, she tried to touch me, and for a few seconds it felt like she was trying to take over my mind or something. It was totally bizarre." I shook my head before continuing, "But it didn't work, because the next second she was stumbling away from me as if I hurt her."

"I don't understand; what does this have to do with Izzy?"

"I wish I knew. But after all that happened, I lost consciousness and woke up in this world."

"Wait, what do you mean this world?" his voice was cold and calculating.

I sighed, "I don't know. This world, it's not the same as where I'm from. There's GFs, magic, it's really hard to wrap my head around it all." I gave him a hopeful look, "At first I thought this was all a dream, that I was in a coma or something from the car accident."

Nida shook his head. "No."

My heart sank. No matter how real this world felt a part of me had still clung on to the hope that I was dreaming.

"So you woke up here, I still don't understand how Izzy is connected."

"When I woke up, I wasn't me," I said. Seeing his confused expression, I explained, "I woke up in this body."

He looked at me coldly, distrust evident in his honey-brown eyes. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and looked away. I didn't blame him. For all he knew, I was a stranger that had taken over his friend's body.

"So where's Izzy now?"

I sighed. "I don't know…" I met his eyes, "I have a theory about where she could be. I wonder if our bodies were simply switched by accident."

"By the Sorceress?" He asked, some of the coldness leaving his eyes.

"Most likely. I mean, I don't even know if she intended to send me here. I – I hadn't ever done anything to her."

He scrutinized me, his expression softening as he realized that I was not responsible for this. "Who are you?"

Taken aback by the question, I stuttered before answering, "M-my name's Natasha."

Nida nodded. There was a long silence, in which I stared at Izzy's short, clean fingernails, unable to think of anything to say to him.

"That's why you asked me if I knew any Sorceresses," he whispered to himself.

I looked up at him and nodded, "I have another theory. If she was trying to possess me, but accidentally sent me here, then I wonder if she's here as well."

"And Izzy's in your body back in your world."

"I hope so."

He narrowed his eyes, "what do you mean? You don't know?"

I gulped and shrunk under his gaze. "Well…when I woke up in Izzy's body," I paused, thinking of the right words to say, "There was a dagger sticking out of my– Izzy's chest."

Nida's eyes went wide.

"But then you came along and cured me, so she's probably fine."

He looked at me skeptically.

"As fine as she can be. I mean, Trevor probably took her home or something when she woke up."

"Trevor?"

"My friend. He was in the car. It was raining really hard, he probably didn't even notice the sorceress before it was too late." My stomach curled. What if Trevor had also gotten hurt?

Nida sighed, then nodded before rubbing his temples. "This is a lot to take in." I looked at his tired face, which had gone from cheerful to stressed in a matter of minutes.

"I know…" I paused, "but I'm hoping that as soon as I find the sorceress, everything can be fixed."

I wanted to ask him for help, and beg for him to trust me, but I knew I couldn't. He stared at his hands blankly, avoiding my gaze. Abruptly he stood up. "I think you should tell the Headmaster about this," he turned to look at me, "Especially since a sorceress is involved."

"I will, eventually."

He narrowed his eyes in anger and opened his mouth to retort, but I cut him off.

"Listen, if there is any danger for anyone else I will, but for now I want to find out more." I paused before continuing, "Besides, for all I know, the sorceress could be in my world, doing God knows what!"

"What if she's not?"

I stood up and looked pleadingly into his eyes. "What if she is? And if we get the Headmaster involved, I don't think his first priority would be to get me and Izzy switched back!"

There was an uncomfortable silence during which I put all my willpower into making him understand. Finally, he sighed, "Okay," and nodded. "I won't say anything…for now."

"Thank you," I answered sincerely.

He nodded again before turning around and walking back into the training center.

_**'Well that wasn't too bad.'**_

I jumped a little at Siren's voice. _'Yeah…'_ I shook my head. '_I really hope he doesn't say anything.'_ Nida was Izzy's friend, and I figured that was the reason he hadn't run to the Headmaster with news. He had no reason to trust me, but without me, he wouldn't be able to get his friend back. _IF we can switch back, that is._

I shook my head. _There's no reason dwelling on the negative._ I had to believe that I would be able to get back, and that everything would go back to normal. My stomach rumbled with nervousness. I had only one desire: find the sorceress and get back home.

"Then go talk to a wall," a baritone voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up as the boy leaning over the balcony turned around and stormed out, leaving a blonde girl standing alone. _Was that Squall?_

The blonde, who I realized was Quistis, stood staring for a few seconds, and then followed him out. I took the chance to leave as well. I didn't want to get attacked by another monster and be alone to face it.

Keeping a safe distance between the two and myself, I made my way silently through the bushes. They walked in stony silence, which wasn't surprising considering he'd just yelled at her. There was a quiet tension between them, and I found myself wondering what they had been discussing earlier. I followed them across the bridge and towards the open metal gate, surprised that no monsters lurked around. The only sound was of running water and insects buzzing in the bushes. I kept a firm eye on the two SeeDs, staying close enough for comfort, but not so close that they would be able to hear my footsteps.

Suddenly, an ear splitting scream pierced the air, followed by a woman's cry for help. I watched Squall and Quistis run through the door, and after a second of hesitation, I ran after them.

_**'Be on your guard.'**_Siren whispered.

I hurled myself through the door, and suddenly wished that I hadn't. Squall held out a sword, while Quistis unfurled a whip from the belt around her hips. They stood facing a wasp-like creature, except it was over ten feet tall and trying to wrap its pincers around a brunette woman.

I gulped and sent a glance towards the exit. _I think they'll be able to handle it._ But even as I told myself this, I knew I couldn't just run away.

_**'Don't worry, you have me,'**_reassured Siren, and I instantly felt a little stronger.

I stepped up to the group just as Squall ran towards the monster with his weapon held high above his head. He swung the blade down hard into the wasp's back, causing it to squeal horribly. It turned around with a swish of its stinger, which narrowly avoided hitting the woman.

"Izzy! What are you doing here?" asked Quistis in surprise when she spotted me.

I turned to her and opened my mouth to answer, but the next second something slammed me hard in the back and I landed facedown on the ground. With a groan, I pulled myself up and turned around menacingly to come face-to-face with the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It looked like an armadillo, but with a blue, stone like shell. _More like an armadillo on steroids._ Standing four feet tall and with human-like limbs, it foamed at the mouth as it approached me menacingly. I braced myself as it came closer, gagging as the smell of rancid meat entered my nostrils. _What the hell is this?_

'_**It's a Raldo,'**_answered Siren.

It bent down and tried to grab at me and on impact I kicked at its scrunched face, causing it to recoil and roll up into its stone-like shell. It started to roll towards me, but I crawled out of the way and it went tumbling towards the other side of the clearing. I glanced to my right to see Quistis beating another one of the creatures with her whip.

A scream from behind me drew my attention towards the brunette girl. A smaller Raldo was advancing on her slowly. Without thinking, I pushed myself off the ground and ran over to the creature. The wasp's stinger came dangerously close to hitting me, but I dodged it and kept running. When I was close enough to the Raldo, I threw a punch at its back. Mistake. Shooting pain erupted over my closed fist and I cried out. The Raldo turned around, looking absolutely livid.

Panicking, I said the first thing that came into my head, "Uh… I'm sorry?"

It roared before smacking my face with sharp claws. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth and I spit it out before turning back to the creature.

"Watch out!" screamed the girl. She pointed at something behind me and I glanced back to see the first Raldo advancing from behind. _Frick on a stick._I stood rooted as the Raldo in front of me coiled up in its shell. I looked behind the Raldo at the girl, who started at me with fear in her eyes. _What the hell is she doing in the training center anyway?_

I diverted my attention back at the Raldo as it rolled on the spot. I turned around to see if I could distract the second Raldo. It coiled into its shell, getting ready for attack. I glanced between the two Raldos as they came closer to me. In a flash of adrenaline, I jumped out of the way just as the two shells thudded together. Identical squeals erupted from the creatures as they hit the ground.

"Get back!" Squall screamed, and motioned for the brunette and I to step away from the monsters. A sudden chill overtook my body as I offered the girl my hand, and with her stepped back towards the training center entrance. I looked around frantically.

A heartbeat passed during which the ground became encrusted with ice. The ground beneath my feet shook and I felt the girl tumble down to her knees. I kneeled down beside her, and put an arm around her trembling shoulders.

"What's going on?" I asked, but my voice was drowned as something shattered.

A shard of ice erupted out of the ground, sharp and clear. Within it was encased a woman seemingly asleep. My jaw dropped as she popped her eyes open. Just then, her ice cocoon shattered into a million pieces as she drew her arms above her head. I gaped at her ice-blue body, which was barely covered by dark films of what appeared to be ice. She bent over backwards, gathering light and energy in her palms. The light became an icicle the size of a two-door car and with a grunt the woman hurled it at the opposing monsters. The icicle became larger as it flew through the air and ended its journey by lodging itself in the wasp's chest.

With a squeal of pain, the wasp recoiled back, and twitching, fell to the ground. Before I could comprehend what was happening, three smaller shards of ice zoomed through the air and hit the Raldos, which met the same fate as the wasp.

Suddenly everything stopped and disappeared, leaving no trace that it had happened except for the bleeding monsters. I gaped as the three Raldos fell to the ground, tremors racking their bodies. The wasp twitched slightly before going limp in a pool of its own blood.

"Everyone okay?" asked Quistis as she rolled her whip and tucked it into her belt.

I helped the trembling girl to her feet and stepped away from her to inspect myself. _Well, there's no broken bones._ I brought a hand to my face, where the Raldo had scratched me and groaned.

"Are you hurt, Izzy?" asked Quistis as she put a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to face her, feeling slightly embarrassed that I was the only one injured. I nodded, and she smiled warmly before pulling out a vial of potion from a pocket in her belt.

"Thanks," I mumbled, and accepted the potion._Man, this stuff works wonders._ I uncorked the vial and rubbed the potion over my face. It tingled as I felt it heal.

Squall was wiping his sword on the grass, and I now noticed that it had the handle and trigger of a gun. I watched him as he stood up and sheathed the weapon, then turned to the woman standing beside me.

I turned to the woman as well, wondering how she ended up alone in the training center. She was rather frail looking, dressed in an ankle-length white skirt and a sky-blue sleeveless top. On her dainty arms she carried a lime-green shawl. _Why would she come into the training center dressed like that?_

"Who-" Squall started towards the brunette woman, but was cut off by a thudding sound as the doors to the training center snapped open.

Two men in white jumpsuits entered, and without saying a word were at the woman's side. "It's not safe here," one of them declared as he led the woman towards the door.

She turned around and sent Squall a longing look before walking out with the two men.

We stood staring after the woman.

"Who was that?" Quistis mused as the gate snapped shut.

Squall shrugged, and without a word, stepped up to the gate and proceeded to press the button to open it.

Quistis sighed and turned to me. "Were you training, Izzy?" She regarded my disheveled SeeD uniform.

I nodded. "Sort of." I looked at her closely as we walked after Squall. Her expression was fairly apathetic, but I had not failed to catch glimmers of sadness in her eyes. She kept her eyes on Squall, who walked on without a glance backwards. I wanted to ask her if something had happened between them, but for the risk of sounding nosy, I remained silent.

We made our way silently out of the hallway until we reached the main hall. Squall stopped walking and turned around, opening his mouth.

"It's not like everyone can get by on their own, you know?" Quistis spoke before Squall made a sound.

Squall crossed his arms and looked away, his face blank and uncaring.

Quistis shook her head. She had a contemplating look on her face, as if she wanted to say more. Instead she turned around and walked off down the hallway.

I looked from her retreating back to Squall who stood watching her with defiance. He muttered something under his breath before drawing his eyes on me.

"That was sweet of you," I blurted.

He looked at me blankly for a second, as if I had just said the stupidest thing in the world, before turning around and walking down the hall.

I fell into step beside him. "So what exactly was that monster?"

He didn't answer, but kept walking as if he hadn't heard me. I sent him a reproachful look, because nothing bothered me more than being ignored.

Shrugging, I looked around the empty hallway, broken only by the sounds of running water and crickets. _'Do you think I could swim in this water?'_

Siren giggled '_**What? Probably.'**_

I started humming, trying to break the awkward silence.

'_**What is that tune?'**_

'_Nothing special.'_I shrugged.

Soon enough, Siren joined me, and I hummed louder, not noticing that Squall had stopped walking.

"Are you always this annoying?" he asked, arms crossed in irritation.

"Depends on who you're asking,"

He rolled his eyes before turning around. He practically jogged down the hallway and turned right towards the dormitories.

_He really needs to lighten up._I slowly followed him, trying hard not to think about what the next day would bring. I'd already seen a dinosaur and a giant wasp, what next? _Crap, I really don't want to get accustomed to being here._

'_**The more one adapts, the more they start to show their true selves,'**_lectured Siren.

I rolled my eyes. _'But I don't want to adapt, I just want to find a way to get back.'_

_**'You get comfortable to things pretty fast, Natasha. It's in your nature.'**_

I silently agreed, though I wasn't happy about it. I looked around the Garden as I walked. The dead silence coupled with the unmoving robed men was discomforting, and I hastened my step.

I reached the dormitory entrance to find Zell talking to a bored looking Squall. "…Man, it took me forever!" he finished saying to Squall.

"What took you forever?" I asked as I approached the boys.

Zell turned to me and smiled warmly, while Squall ignored me and walked away to the boy's dormitory.

Zell watched him go with furrowed brows before turning back to me. "Izzy! Where have you been?"

_Courting death a few times, Zell, what about you?_ "Around." I said instead.

"Well, I was just telling Squall that SeeDs get their own private rooms!" he said excitedly, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Yours should be across the hall from your old one," he continued once I didn't reply.

"Oh goody, I shouldn't have trouble finding it then."

He nodded before saluting. "See ya!" He turned into the boy's dormitory and disappeared down the hall.

I sighed and made my way towards my own room, which was easy enough to find. I cracked the door an inch and peeked inside before fully entering the room.

_Well, I have no doubt that this is Izzy's room._ It was a single bedroom, about twice as big as Izzy's previous one. Someone had been kind enough to cover the bed in the same lace sheets, and I saw the posters neatly rolled up on top of them. The study table had a hutch, the shelves of which were stacked with Izzy's textbooks.

On the left side was a door, and I opened it to reveal a single bathroom with shining while tiles and a claustrophobic-looking shower. _Man, am I tired._I stepped back into the room and rummaged through the closet for a towel.

_'Siren? Can I be alone now?'_

_**'Surely. You've had quite the night.'**_ Her voice was becoming faint as I felt her energy leaving my body. I gently put the stone on the bedside table, and stepped into the bathroom for a much-desired shower.

A feeling of dread overcame me as I thought about Nida. Would it be too much for me to ask him for help? _I can't even begin to imagine where I'd start looking for the sorceress._ I had kept an optimistic attitude so far, but the hope that I could make it by myself was scarce. Surely, I would get killed if I went out of the Garden on my own, but what choice did I have?

I stepped out of the shower, feeling the urge to burst out in tears. _Why did this happen to me?_Why was the sorceress after me? Was I someone expendable in her plan to take over my world? _But why search_me_out, of all people?_I shook my head. Surely, I was missing something. The sorceress had known who I was, and the sooner I could find her, the better.

I rummaged through the chest drawer, and pulling out a pair of flannel shorts, I quickly changed. I climbed into the down mattress and snuggled into the covers. My last thought was of the sorceress before sleep overtook me.

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A/N: Please review! I need some motivation :)


	8. A New Day

A/N: Wow, I updated? I know it's been ages, and I do have a good excuse for it, but I'm pretty sure you're here to read the chapter and not listen to me prattle on about why this update is massively late.

I just wanted to thank everyone who's been reading and reviewing this. You guys keep me writing more! Please excuse the horribly late update and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

~Izzy~

Mirrors never lied, right? So why was every reflective surface Izzy looked at tricking her?

For the first time in her life, Izzy couldn't recognize the woman staring back at her through the mirror. She reached a tentative hand towards the reflection; the girl inside reaching for her, mirroring the disturbed, haunted expression Izzy knew she herself wore.

She thought that at any given moment the illusion would shatter and the world around her would crumble away to reveal her own.

_Hoping that's gonna happen is beyond naive. _Besides, Izzy reasoned, she felt different. Uncomfortable, alien in a body that wasn't, and couldn't be hers. Short, slender, and rather plain-looking, Izzy watched as the reflection reached up to smooth out dull black hair that fell in a straight line down to her shoulders. Izzy glared at the unremarkable features so unlike her own, as if her angry stare could somehow change the image back to what Izzy knew to be the right one.

Shuffling commotion sounded from outside the bathroom door and jolted Izzy away from the mirror. Before she could react further, the door was blasted open, and someone tall and heavy practically pummeled her.

Izzy froze, clamping her teeth from yelling out as the woman slowly released her. Tentatively, Izzy glanced up, and then backed away at seeing no familiarity in the soft, worried features.

"Natasha, honey?" the woman whispered carefully, as if talking to a very fragile person.

Izzy tensed. This had to be some kind of trick to get her defenses down. They must have kidnapped her. Izzy felt empty; someone had removed her GFs and magic. How, Izzy didn't know, but there was no sound in her mind or strength in her body that resided when she was junctioned.

The woman stepped closer, carefully, and Izzy smelled something flowery that must have been her perfume.

Izzy's eyes darted around, but finding no escape she backed up so that she was pressed uncomfortably against the cool marble sink.

"Natasha, you've had a shock, you'll be okay."

"That's not my name!" Izzy cried, noticing now that the voice coming out of her mouth was different as well; hating that it trembled with the fear she felt.

A sliver of a cringe passed the woman's expression, but then she spread out her hand, slowly reaching for Izzy; her face pleasantly neutral. "Okay, you can tell me who you are, but please come back in the room, sweetie."

Izzy stared at the outstretched hand, then back at the soft, grinning face. She dropped her sweaty palm into the woman's, and allowed her to lead the way back into the hospital room.

The mattress sank with a hiss as Izzy sat down on the bed. She should have realized earlier: the subtle differences from the Garden infirmary. Larger and more open than any of the infirmary rooms, it had a certain homely quality about it. Why hadn't she realized that it wasn't one of the Garden infirmary rooms?

"Natasha?" the soft voice spoke, and Izzy reluctantly met the woman's emerald eyes.

Izzy shook her head. "Where am I?"

"You had an accident, you don't remember?"

Again, she shook her head, confusion settling in. She should probably play along. It was possible she was here by mistake; that they'd intended to kidnap someone else. She couldn't imagine how someone could have swapped her mind into a different body. _Unless the Galbadian Military has a weird new lab for these kinds of experiments._ But then, where was her own body?

"Natasha-"

"Stop calling me that," Izzy snapped.

The woman cringed, clearly hurt by her tone. But a second later, her expression returned to its neutral state. "Okay, I'm sorry. What should I call you instead?"

"Izzy, my name is Izzy. I want to know why I'm here, and I have to go back to-" should she reveal that she was from Garden? _Garden Code 1, Article 9: in the case that you are separated from your team, do not reveal Garden information to potential enemies._Izzy bit her lip.

"Okay, Izzy. Do y- do you recognize me?"

Izzy stared, not expecting to be asked such a ridiculous question. Narrowing her eyebrows, she answered, "should I?"

Sighing, the woman stood up straight, and wiping her forehead, whispered, "No, you wouldn't, would you? I was so afraid of this…" she shook her head and turned around to face the curly-haired boy who sat quietly in an armchair by the corner, who Izzy only noticed now.

"Trevor? Your uncle is waiting in the lobby, please…" her voice become too low for Izzy to hear.

Immediately after the door shut close, the boy named Trevor moved to sit next to Izzy.

"I believe you," he blurted.

"What?"

"That you're not Natasha. I- I never fully believed her before, but I believe it now." He fixed Izzy with a piercing gaze, as if expecting her to explode. "Look, Izzy, right?"

Izzy nodded.

"We have to fix this. Whatever this is."

Izzy's heart sank. "So you people aren't responsible for this?"

Trevor chuckled humourlessly. "It was that woman. She has something to do with this, I know it." He took a deep breath and continued, "last time, none of us believed Natasha when she said there was a sorceress involved in her accident. We thought she'd unintentionally done something horrible and lost the memory for it. Everyone thought Natasha was… was not right in the head, mentally fragile." He shook his head at the word, and met Izzy's gaze. "But she wasn't going crazy, she kept mumbling about this sorceress; saying she'd killed Noah, but we never took it seriously since after she came out of her shock she never mentioned it. She didn't even remember what had happened…" he covered his face with his hands, as if ashamed. "Auntie Carol thought she had that split personality disorder thing, since she couldn't ever remember where she'd come from, or the night of the accident; and after that she'd completely changed, and not just because of grieving, but because the sorceress did something to her that time too…" he trailed off, whispering into his palms.

Intrigued despite herself, Izzy asked, "Did you just say sorceress?"

"Huh? Yeah, I saw her; the woman, she was just as Natasha had described. She _did _something to her, but by the time I even noticed she was there, the woman disappeared, just vanished on the spot." Trevor shuddered, his face turning pale. "I couldn't do anything. Natasha passed out, and," he faced Izzy once more, "now you're not Natasha."

"No. Look, I don't know what's going on here, or who Natasha is, but I have to get to Garden and get this put right, and let everyone know we have a dangerous sorceress running around attacking people, and somehow she's got advanced magic that switches people's bodies." Izzy stood up and looked around the room. "By the way, where are we? Deling city?" she glanced out of the window at the brightly lit street below, surrounded by buildings. "Looks like it."

"No," Trevor answered. "Toronto. Where's Deling City and what's Garden, some kind of secret society?"

Izzy turned to face him so fast her neck kinked. "You don't know what Garden is? Where are we?" she rushed to the window and slid it open to stick her head out into the warm morning air.

The room was on a really high floor of a white brick building that overlooked a crowded, busy street. Cars and people bustled to and fro, emitting noises that reminded Izzy of her own home in Deling City. Though the smell of car exhaust and street-corner food was unwelcome, and the only reminder that this wasn't the strenuously clean capital city of Galbadia.

Izzy pushed herself away from the window, feeling her heart clench in a sudden bout of homesickness. "Where is this? How far from Galbadia?"

"Galbadia?"

Frustrated, Izzy took a deep breath in order to not blow up. "Galbadia. The entire western continent of the world! Only the greatest, most powerful nation!" _Where the hell have you been holed up?_

"Izzy…where do you think we are?" Trevor asked slowly.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out!"

"Okay," he got off the bed and grabbed a backpack from near the corner. From it, he pulled out a laptop and brought it over. "Okay," he repeated, "point out where Galbadia is on a map and we can figure out how to get there."

Izzy released a breath. It could be possible this place was untouched by Galbadian influences; she couldn't expect every person in the world to know about Galbadia. "It's actually Balamb Garden I need to get to." _I can't believe he doesn't know about Garden._

"This… Garden place. You say we'd be able to find the sorceress there?" asked Trevor as the screen loaded up.

Resisting the strong urge to roll her eyes, Izzy answered, "No. But I have to let Headmaster Cid know that there's a dangerous sorceress attacking SeeD candidates. For all we know, she's already wreaking havoc around the world, hopefully nothing serious…" She bit her lower lip, wondering if Headmaster Cid was already aware of what had happened to her. _Body switching, we've never even been told a sorceress could do that._

"Okay, here we go," Trevor brought the laptop over to Izzy and pointed to a map of the world. "We're in Canada," he pointed to a large landmass on the west.

Izzy leaned in and held her breath. It wasn't, couldn't be. "That's supposed to be Galbadia." She released the breath, slowly, trying to calm the violent thumping of her heart.

"This is North America."

Izzy shook her head; she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Becoming frantic in her desperation for normalcy, Izzy scrolled through the entire map. _Why is nothing like it should be?_ It made no sense. Was she now in the future, where all the continents had shifted and been renamed?

"Izzy…" Trevor laid a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

"This- this is a map of the world, you said?" Izzy asked, willing her voice not to tremble.

His eyebrows narrowing, Trevor slowly nodded. "Haven't you ever-"

"This isn't the right map!" cried Izzy, much more shrilly than she had intended. "This is not Gaia! At least not the one I know…" Izzy leaned back against the headboard, taking deep breaths. Was she in a different world? _No magic, no GFs, no Garden…_ in all her years of SeeD cadet training, Izzy had never come across something like this. No one had ever prepared her for this kind of situation. _And I don't even know if Garden exists over here…_

"Izzy?" Trevor scooted closer, but at that moment, the door opened with a creak, and the same blonde woman returned, holding the hand of a man that must have been her husband.

"Natasha? I mean, Izzy. Are you ready to leave here?" the woman asked.

Izzy looked at Trevor, who nodded and mouthed 'mother.'

Turning back to Natasha's mother, Izzy nodded, and then uttered, as sincerely as she could, "Yes…Mother."

The woman burst into tears, clutching onto her husband, who grinned at Izzy through ridiculously white teeth.

Reluctantly, Izzy grinned back. _I'm a SeeD candidate, and being so, I will take on any challenges that I have to._

~Natasha~

I slammed to the ground with the memory of a dream trickling from my mind like water escapes cupped palms. Pain shot through my temples as if there was a vigorous tennis match going on between them. I kicked the clinging bedcovers away from my sweat soaked legs in a flurry. _Why isn't the bloody fan on? _Groaning, I snapped my eyes open to be met with rays of sunlight streaming through the open curtain. _But my room has shutters…_

All of a sudden, memory: magic healing a person in seconds, spirits mentally talking to people, and an unfamiliar face in the mirror….

I moaned and beat my forehead with my palm as the realization came to me. I was thrust into a different world, in someone else's body. _And I complain about having to wake up for class._ I craned my neck to glance at the clock, which read 6:09. That meant I had slept a lovely three and a half hours. I groaned again and stood up. It was impossible for me to sleep again once I got up.

The events of the previous night came rushing into my mind. The dance, then the lovely jungle that was the Training Center, being confronted by an actual dinosaur, and that giant wasp thing; _why the hell do they have monsters like that running around? _

But that hadn't even been the hardest part. Telling Nida about my identity seemed like a breeze compared to what I had to do now_._ My heart clenched tightly as a feeling of dread shadowed everything else. For the first time since I had been thrust into this world, I felt completely alone. I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought about the journey ahead of me. Where would I even begin? Surely, I couldn't ask anyone for help. Nida had been my biggest hope, and if his reaction had been so negative, how would anyone else react? _What a beautiful morning._ I rolled my eyes.

Sighing, I crawled up off the floor and stretched. _Now what does one do at six am around here?_ I looked around the room, admiring how neat it looked. _My room back home is never this clean._ My heart jumped into my throat as I felt my eyes water. I shook my head; thinking about home was not something I was prepared to handle.

Instead, I picked the fluffy bed sheets off the floor and started to make the bed. _Where do I go now?_ Sticking around Balamb Garden wasn't a good option, but did I want to go out alone, in a world where any weird monster could jump out at me?

_Stop being a pansy-assed chicken! _

I would have to get myself a weapon somehow, which, when I thought about it, wouldn't be a difficult task considering where and who I was. _I'll also need a map and food and those potion things._ I jumped across the room and flung open the closet. _Probably some clothes. _There, in the corner, was a large beige shoulder bag. I pulled it out and emptied it of the schoolbooks, none of which I would need. I would start with that Balamb place; there had to be a chance someone would have seen or heard of the sorceress.

There came a loud rapping on the door. I jumped slightly before I hurled myself across the room and threw the door open.

"Morning Izzy!" Selphie chirped, bouncing her way through the doorway, clad entirely in canary/ yellow. She paused, letting her gaze travel around the room, until it flickered up to rest on me. "Why aren't you ready yet?"

I stared at her "Err, for what?"

She slapped her forehead and smiled apologetically. "I totally forgot to tell you yesterday! All the new SeeDs have to assemble in the 2F boardroom in about," she checked her wristwatch, "twenty minutes."

"Why?"

"To get our weekly assignments and SeeD IDs, silly!" With a wave, she left before I could even open my mouth to speak, murmuring about waking Squall up.

I sighed, and finished packing Izzy's bag with some clothes, _The Sorceress War_ (a book I thought might be useful,) and Izzy's diary. I'd get those potions and sneak some food from the cafeteria later.

As I was buckling up Izzy's boots, my eyes fell on the glowing, pale yellow stone sitting on the side table next to the now wilting lilacs.

_Of course!_ Why was I worried about stupid monsters when Siren was on my side? At least I wouldn't be completely alone in a world where I didn't know anything.

About ten minutes later, I quietly shut and locked the door of Izzy's room. Siren kept a constant stream of chatter about what she had been up to after I unequipped her the night before. Without me asking, she explained that Guardian Forces had a world of their own, kind of a spirit world where things were not tangible, but shifting as the spirits desired.

'_So how do you become stones?'_ I asked.

Siren let out a tinkling giggle. _**'We don't become stones.'**_ She paused, thinking of a way to explain. _**'Some of us choose to guard over humans who need our help. The stones that you use are the only way to let us know you need us. It wasn't long ago that they tapped into our world while seeking help in fighting forces that were out of their control.'**_

_Wait a minute. 'Are you talking about magic? People here couldn't control magic?'_ I couldn't think of any other 'uncontrollable forces.' I thought of how easily Nida had healed my wounds. _'But they did learn to control it.'_

'_**Unh huh. It's only with our help that they did though.'**_

'_Hmm. '_Then something occurred to me. _'So does that mean Sorceresses have GFs too?'_

Her usually cheery tone turned low and dark, _**'Some humans have learned to use magic without us.'**_ She paused, as if trying to find the best way to tell me,_**' Humans are power hungry. They tried to take over our world and control us too.'**_

'_So why decide to help them?_'

Siren sighed, and I felt as though she was smiling when she answered, _**'because not all people are bad. Just like not all spirits are good.'**_ She paused before continuing, '_**I'm sure you're well aware of the distinction.'**_

_As usual, you provide nothing more than a vague answer to my questions._ I smirked. In truth, I couldn't help but think about my parents, about how I felt like a stranger in my own home sometimes. After Noah's death, I felt as if they wished it had been me who died and not him. _Not that I blame them for blaming me…_

'_**But you should know, Natasha, that it's not as simple as that. People and spirits aren't just clearly good or bad.'**_

I nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat. _'You're right. It's all about the decisions you make.'_ I wished my parents had decided not to send us away that day.

Sensing my discomfort, Siren decided to change the subject. _**'I think you're making the right choice.'**_

'_What are you talking about?'_

'_**About searching for the Sorceress on your own.'**_

'_Hmm, well, you kind of warned me not to tell anyone about who I am.'_

It was a few seconds before Siren answered, _**'That's not what I said, Natasha.'**_

'_But you stopped me from telling the Headmaster, and look what happened with Nida. You were right to stop me.'_

'_**I sensed danger, earlier, when you decided to tell the Headmaster, but not with Nida. That's all.'**_

'_I don't understand.'_

Siren explained that Guardian Forces could sense if a decision would bring danger, which totally made me think of Spiderman's Spidey sense. _**'We have the power to warn you and assist you in danger,' **_Siren continued, _**'So yes, I'm like your personal Spiderman.'**_

'_You know about Spiderman?'_

'_**I learn more about you and your world as we spend more time together remember?'**_

I nodded, trying to wrap my head around it all, and by the time I reached the elevator my mind was spinning.

"Izzy!" someone cried as I stepped up to the platform.

I turned around to see Nida jogging up the stairs. He paused as he reached the top and for a few seconds we just stared at each other awkwardly. Hair disheveled and eyes puffy, he looked rather tired.

"So…" I bit my lip, embarrassed at my pathetic attempt at conversation. "Are you on your way to the boardroom?"

He nodded, "I wanted to make sure you didn't get lost."

"Thanks."

The elevator dinged open and we got in silently.

"Listen, N-Natasha," he paused, eyebrows narrowed as if trying to get used to the name. "I thought about what you told me, and I believe we should go to Headmaster Cid."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I can't do that," and before he could protest, I explained Siren's warning from when I'd myself wanted to tell the headmaster about the sorceress. "And I'd rather not risk it. I mean, what if they think I'm lying, or that Izzy is insane or something?"

"You told _me_ and I believe you," he said calmly.

Opening my mouth to speak, I realized I had nothing to say. I followed Nida silently as we made our way down the hall.

Floor to ceiling windows covered an entire wall of the boardroom, allowing a spectacular view of the mountains that surrounded Balamb Garden. Sunlight beamed down on us, illuminating the figures of Selphie sitting, alert and grinning, and Squall, concentrating on the tabletop with what I could only assume was quiet fascination.

Nida and I sat down on the two empty seats next to Selphie, who greeted us with a smile.

"What's going o-" the words were halfway out of my mouth when rumbling commotion sounded from outside. The door was suddenly flung open and Zell walked in, grinning sheepishly and scratching the back of his head. "I made it," he said to the far corner of the room, where a faculty member stood unnoticed.

"Sit down," ordered the faculty member in his guttural voice.

A few silent minutes passed before a familiar looking young woman stepped into the room, and announced that Headmaster Cid was on his way.

Squall immediately looked up from his scrutiny of the table, and Zell sat up straighter, looking serious.

"At ease, everyone." Headmaster Cid strolled up to the front of the table and sat down. He looked at each of us in turn, grinning at us proudly, as if we were his kids or something.

"First of all, I want to commend you on your behaviour at the Inauguration Ball yesterday. As SeeDs, you set an example…"

There was a tiny scuff mark on the shiny table where Nida's face was reflected. He shifted in his seat, causing the black mark to move onto the reflection's nose.

I looked up and followed his gaze to the faculty member, who was now speaking. "…can be dangerous, but as our clients, they reserve the right to…"

Distraction was now found in the window, in the clouds that moved to block the sun, bathing the room in momentary drabness. What was I doing here? I could have been to Balamb by now.

_I wonder if Nida's right. _

'_**Natasha,'**_

'_I know, I know, you said it would be dangerous to tell Cid.'_

'_**No, I was going to say that you should pay attention.'**_

"…they will update you on your SeeD assignments, and you will submit all your reports and test answers on them." Cid was holding up a little PDA type device.

The black-haired female SeeD shuffled through a briefcase, and one by one, passed a device around to all five of us. "These control your lives from now on," she said, not joking one bit.

Headmaster Cid beamed around at us. "Use them well." He got up. "You are dismissed."

I stashed the PDA in Izzy's bag, and was the first to walk out of the door.

Several hours later, I found myself trying to sneak past the lobby and out into the front gate. It was sunny and rather warm once I stepped out into the courtyard. Birds chirped and insects buzzed happily, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Who knew how big this world was?

_So Balamb was just past that forest, and there was only that one main road that we took. _

The Garden front gate was already open, and a few students loitered around. I paused to double-check Izzy's bag. I'd packed a spare pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, the only thick sweater Izzy owned, a world map I'd found in Izzy's desk, plus some well-wrapped sandwiches, drinks, and chocolate I'd "borrowed" from the cafeteria. Potions and health supplies had been easy to get, once I'd gone looking in the infirmary and told the doctor there some story about going on a mission. _I can deal with guilt later, preferably when I'm back home and enough time's passed that I can look back and laugh about this. Not like "haha it was so funny" but more like "haha boy am I glad to be out of this situation."_

I pulled out the map to find the fastest route to the town. Balamb, it seemed was a small island nation in the middle of the Central, unnamed body of water. Other than Balamb town and Garden, there didn't seem to be much else on the island. Fire Cavern didn't really sound very inviting.

'_**From Balamb, you can take a ship to Dollet.'**_

I nodded silently, hoping I wouldn't have to go to Dollet at all. For some reason, the name Galbadia kept coming to my mind. _Galbadia, why am I thinking of that? _I consulted the map. The entire Western continent was named Galbadia. Then I remembered: Zell and the others had been talking about fighting Galbadian reinforcements in Dollet. Perhaps that would be the place I would eventually have to go; it seemed important somehow.

The three boys that had been loitering near the front gate were now making their way back towards the turnstiles. Sighing, I checked Izzy's bag one last time, and walked out onto the stone pathway.

"Natasha!"

The sudden sound of my name jolted me away from my purpose. I turned around to see Nida running through the courtyard, waving at me to come back inside the gates.

Reluctance weighed down my steps; heavy and uncomfortable; so that by the time I reached the gate again, Nida was already there.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, scowling.

"Well, yeah, I can't really stick around here," I told him matter-of-factly. What did he expect, that I would go around pretending to be Izzy for the rest of my life?

His scowl deepened somewhat as he crossed his arms. "Do you even know where you're going?"

Anger suddenly swelled up in my gut. "Of course not! I've never exactly been here before. But I really can't stick around waiting for the sorceress to find me! I don't even think she knows I'm Izzy right now." I stepped back towards the gate. "Thanks for listening yesterday, but I would really appreciate it if you didn't mention anything," I gave him a pleading look, and when he didn't respond, I turned away and walked out the gates.

Before I'd gone a couple of steps, Nida called, "I can't let you go out there alone. Do you have experience fighting monsters? Can you use and junction magic? Have you ever handled a pinwheel?"

I turned around. "Well, no, but it can't be that bad right?"

Nida glared, "I can't let you go on your own. You're gonna get yourself and Izzy killed trying to take on a sorceress." he released a breath. "At least let me help you."

"Really? Do you know anything about the sorceress?"

He shook his head, "but we can find out,"

I opened my mouth-

"_without _telling anyone else," he cut in.

"Okay, what do you suggest?"

"We should start with the library. We've never learned about anything like this in any of our classes, not even history, but there has to be something in the library about interworld travel."

I nodded. It made sense

He nodded. "Listen, I may have been a little harsh yesterday, but what you told me was way over my head. You've been thrust into this world, just the same as Izzy's been thrust into yours."

"Yeah, I wonder how she's doing…"

"Me too. But she's a pretty strong person," he paused, and I saw a faraway look in his eyes. But a few seconds later, the look disappeared, and he continued, "she's been through worse, so I don't think she'll have trouble surviving."

_Yeah, I really don't think survival's an issue. _Instead I said, "It's not that dangerous where I come from."

Nida raised an eyebrow.

I moved away from the gate and we started walking back through the courtyard. "I mean, it can be dangerous, but your world is more dangerous. We don't have random monsters walking around. Well, unless you count pedophiles and creeps, but I mean like giant insects and the like." I paused when I caught Nida's confused expression.

"I'm babbling, aren't I?" heat crept up my face and I cleared my throat.

Nida chuckled. "A little bit."

I smiled and met his gaze again. _How exactly to I explain what Earth is like to someone who's never been there? _"Ok, so the main difference I've noticed so far is that Earth isn't rampant with monsters. There's animals, but they're usually under human control and we don't have to fight them on a daily basis. So we don't really need to fight all the time."

He nodded.

I proceeded to explain how we didn't have spirits that could reside in our minds, and that magic wasn't something common. The truth was I felt as if something had been dislodged from my chest, because by some miracle, Nida wanted to help me get back home. Sure his reason was because he wanted to get his friend back, but beggars can't ever be choosers, and I would take all the help I could get.

"So what exactly happened the night you were sent here?" Nida asked after I finished.

I stared at him for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. What exactly HAD the sorceress done? She had tried to enter my mind, of that I was certain. "Well, I did tell you all I remembered, but the sorceress, at least that's what she called herself, I don't know what she was trying to do…"

"What do you mean? Who was she?"

I shook my head. "I wish I knew, but as I said, I had never seen her before. But she knew who I was, as if she meant to seek me out." I sighed and looked at him hopelessly.

He narrowed his eyes, "the only sorceress I know about is Adel, and she was put out of power years ago."

"It wasn't Adel. She looked different." I described the sorceress' face, shuddering slightly as I remembered her intense tawny eyes that had seemed to be able to see through me. "She had wings and she wore this weird headpiece." Nida's expression remained stoic and unchanging as I explained the sorceress' appearance. _So he doesn't know who she is either._

He scratched his chin once I finished. "So we need to find her, which is difficult since we don't know if she's here or in your world."

I nodded slowly. "Listen… I know it's a lot to take in. How do we look for someone who might not even be here?"

He paused as we reached the turnstiles. Quistis and Xu were huddled in the corner with an irate Headmaster Cid. We passed them and entered the Garden lobby.

Nida continued, "Well, the best thing to do right now is to try to find out more information." He grinned reassuringly. "And you need to blend in around here if you're going to pretend to be Izzy."

"I thought I was blending in okay…?" I stopped mid-sentence at the look on his face.

Nida shook his head. "It's not that you're not blending in, it's just pretty obvious that you're acting differently."

I nodded. "Well, I did read her diary to try and- what?"

His eyes went wide as he choked out, "You read her diary?"

_So what? It's not like she cares what I know._ "Yeah, so?"

"Wha-" He shook his head and then shrugged. "Never mind."

"Well, it's not like I particularly looked for a diary, I just found it, and had to read it to learn more about her." I didn't mention that there were entries solely about him in there. "Should I not have read it? Because-"

"Don't worry," he said, waving his hand dismissively, "priorities. I say we try and find information about this sorceress first… nothing you told me about her sounds familiar, but there has to be a book with information."

Nodding, I followed Nida to the library, feeling a massive relief bubble lifting in my chest. Nida was someone I could trust, and he was willing to help me find a way home. _And helping me means he helps Izzy. It's totally win/win._


	9. Learning

I know, I know, another late update. My life has recently been a whirlwind. PM me and I'll tell you all about it :) which... may or may not be such a good idea.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and also the fact that future updates will be vastly quicker. Yay!

As always, please remember to REVIEW.

* * *

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

_Geez, we've been in the library for five hundred hours._

Nida's gorgeous face twisted into an intimidating scowl as he looked from me to the book I'd been pretending to read for the past half hour. Clearing my throat, I instantly brought my attention back to Chapter 24 of _Sorcery throughout history._ After a few unsuccessful attempts at absorbing a single word, I felt myself begin to drift off once more.

_Click-click, click-click, click-click._

"Would you stop that!" hissed Nida from behind the humongous _Theories of Magic_.

Sighing, I flung my pen with a little too much force. It bounced off the table and ricocheted off the wall, clattering seismically through the pin-drop library silence.

Nida's glare practically burned a hole in my skull as I bent below the desk to retrieve the blasted pen, and by the time I resurfaced, Nida wasn't the only one scowling.

"Izzy!" the librarian whispered, hands resting on her hips in a chastising manner.

I mouthed 'sorry' but that didn't seem to be enough. The pig-tailed girl gestured me to follow her as she turned around and walked away from the study desks and towards the front of the library.

I gave Nida a helpless sort of look, but he just shrugged, whispered, "You better go with her," and went back to reading his book.

Shaking my head at his unhelpfulness, I reluctantly followed the librarian, who was now standing behind the counter and watching me expectantly.

_'Don't tell me I'm in trouble for dropping a pen,' _  
__

_**'You're not...'**_

"Hey Izzy," she greeted as I approached the front desk, and to my bewilderment, grinned rather sweetly. "I heard you passed the SeeD exam. Congratulations!"

"Um thanks," I said awkwardly.

"But I'm sure you won't be able to participate in the library committee anymore?" She paused to take a breath, and her gaze flitted to the space behind me. Instantly turning scarlet, the pigtailed girl snapped her mouth shut, her eyes wide and staring at something behind me.

I turned around to see nothing more interesting than a few students enter the library. Turning back to the librarian, I noticed that she was now trying hard to hide behind the computer screen. _Ok that monitor may be massive, but who is she fooling? _"What's wro-"

"Excuse me!" a familiar male voice cut me off. Zell strode up to the desk, seemingly oblivious to the now scarlet face emerging from behind the screen.

He flashed me a friendly smile and nod before turning his attention to the librarian.

"W-what can I do f-for y-you?" squeaked the librarian. Her fingers were clasped so tightly on the tabletop that her knuckles turned white.

Without any hesitation, Zell launched into a cacophony of unintelligible speech. I waited for a minute, in case the librarian wanted to talk to me, but it seemed as if she had forgotten I was there. I took the moment to inconspicuously leave the front desk, although I doubted the librarian would have noticed even if I'd tap danced my way through the library; she seemed rather taken with the blond SeeD.

As I returned to the study area, I realized that Nida still had his face buried into the volume. My stomach sank a bit at seeing him so invested in gaining information. Saturday night had gone by in a blur of books, but Nida and I had so far found nothing that would help us.

To my intense frustration, Nida had practically woken me up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning to drag me to the library yet again. Now, I sat back down in the uninviting wooden seat, and picked up the list of books Nida had compiled the previous night.

_We've nearly read through all these books._ I scanned the list again, hoping that a bazillionth look through it would somehow illuminate the name of the one that would reveal anything about 'interworld travel' (as Nida had called it) and sorceresses.  
Hollow as my empty stomach was, it growled like an angry beast, demanding to be fed right away. _Damn him for making us skip breakfast.  
_

At that exact moment Nida decided to shove his book into my face. "Read this," he hissed.

I grabbed the volume. 'Sorceresses are understood to be direct descendants of Hyne, due to their ability to use magic without the aid of guardian forces or the draw command.' I looked up.

"Whoopie," I said in a deadpan voice, "Didn't we already know that?"

Rolling his eyes, Nida pointed to a paragraph below the one I'd been reading.

'Of all the powers a sorceress may possess, the most intriguing is their ability to sway the minds of individuals, and bend their thinking in order to turn the person into a puppet. It is speculated that a sorceress may possess the ability to travel in time and even dimensions, but evidence has never been seen of such actions. Research has been conducted on the site of the sorceress memorial, but-'

I stood up abruptly. "This is it!"

"Shh!" Someone hissed.

I sat back down and turned to Nida excitedly. "We have to go here... why are you frowning?"

He bit his lower lip, and the movement of his teeth clamping down on the soft-looking pink flesh momentarily distracted me.

"Because-" his voice snapped me back to reality. "Because the Esthar continent is desolate."

"What?"

"It doesn't contain life, Natasha."

I poked the page, "then why does it say there's been research done there?"

Nida let out an impatient _tsk_. "Read the entire paragraph," he hissed, frowning.

I turned back to the book and read aloud this time, "the entirety of Esthar has been desolate - I totally know what that means, by the way, you didn't need to explain-"

Nida glared and pointed back at the book.

I cleared my throat and continued, "-has been desolate for seventeen years. Since the end of the Sorceress War, Esthar has been perpetually uninhabited." Underneath the paragraph was a picture of a futuristic city with large walkways leading to a ginormous, circular building that looked like something out of an Ursula Le Guin novel.

I read the entire paragraph again, feeling my newfound bubble of excitement popping. With a loud sigh, I slumped deeper into my chair. "Now what?"

Nida was scratching his chin and biting his lip again, something I noticed was a bit of a habit with him. "We keep looking," he finally replied and picked up a book from the pile on my desk.

_Keep looking?_ I abruptly sat up. "With all due respect for that plan, I think we're pretty much done looking."

He shook his head, but I cut him off before he could get a word in.

"Look, we've looked through all these books already," I gestured to the pile of thirty or so thick volumes piled haphazardly on both of our desks, "and the closest we've gotten to finding anything is a paragraph about something that doesn't exist. Maybe I should-"

"We," Nida corrected.

"_Maybe_ it's time to start looking for her outside," I implored.

Nida watched me for a few seconds, as if contemplating his words carefully. "We don't have any leads or indication of what she even looks like,"

"I told you what she looks like!" I argued.

He put up his hands defensively, "I know you did, but no one else knows who she is. We don't have a lead," he repeated. "It's foolish to go out on a mission without a plan of action. All the training we've had so far goes against it. Not to mention it's completely illogical."

_Cus, you know, magic and GF monsters are so logical. _I raised an eyebrow, "We've completely passed the point of logic wouldn't you say? Me being here and all?"

Nida chewed on his bottom lip, and guilt chewed up my stomach. I really didn't want to be rude to him. "Listen, I-"

_Smack!_ "What in Gaia have you done to that book?"

The shriek caused both Nida and I to jump, and _Theories of Magic _tumbled from my lap and onto the floor.

A flash of dark blue and yellow was all I saw as I bent to pick up the book, and before my fingers so much as grazed the cover, the library committee member snatched it off the floor.

"Out!" he screamed, pointing towards the library entrance. "You two have been disrupting the peace all morning."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Nida grabbed my arm, apologized to the scowling library guy, and dragged me away.

"You know, Izzy has never been kicked out of the library before," he said as we walked out into the hallway, "and neither have I."

I faced him with an apologetic grimace. "Really? Sorry, I know I can be loud sometimes."

To my surprise, he laughed. "Let's just go get some lunch."  
The rest of the day was spent in a perpetual state of learning for me. I had a lot of questions about SeeD and Garden, and Nida seemed more than happy to provide answers. I felt like a child, just bombarded with information about the new and exciting world of which I was thrust into and had to be a part of. Getting used to being Izzy was easier than I could have imagined, considering I would never have imagined having to do such a thing.  
Garden may have been a mercenary academy, but it felt like a regular boarding school to me, especially when I learned that the SeeD candidates were in fact teenagers, and not the early-twenty-somethings I'd first thought. _I can't believe that I thought this was a dream. _

Everything felt so real; even the face in the mirror was starting to look familiar. But I didn't want to get accustomed. I had to keep telling myself that all this was temporary, and I would be back home to see everyone once again soon enough.

Monday morning found me jolted out of sleep by shrill beeping that could only be coming from a creature from the bowels of hell. I peeled myself out of bed and looked around for the source of the noise. There, on the side table, sat the SeeD communication device, blaring so loud, the vibration nearly caused it to fall off the table. I caught it before it dropped to the floor, and punched open the notification.

_Beep. "_SeeD class schedule for the week of Monday, June 10…"

I barely looked through the schedule and moved on to the next notification. It was an email from Nida: "Meet me in the 2F classroom when you're awake."

I closed the inbox and sighed. when I really thought about it, staying at Garden and living Izzy's life until I found some information about the sorceress that could help was the best option I had. _But still…_ it didn't feel right, nor was it practical for me to walk around pretending to be someone I'd never even met.

'_**But it's the only thing you can do right now,'**_ Siren piped up.

I silently agreed, but couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something important; something on the tip of my mind that I couldn't quite access.

With a shrug, I shook off the uncertainties and headed out towards the cafeteria. Meeting Nida was important, but my stomach protested with rumbling wails that needed to be dealt with first.

Lit with the brilliant sunshine streaming in from the glass ceiling, water sparkled as it flowed through the fish shaped fountains into the rippling pools in the center of Garden. I walked slowly, enjoying the soothing sounds of water passing through stone.

Upon reaching the hallway marked 'Cafeteria,' I found myself nearly crushed by someone on a skateboard that…_is it floating in mid-air?_ I gaped open-mouthed as he disappeared down the hall in a blur of red and denim blue, and into the doorway at the end. _How awesome is that! _I jogged down the hallway, hoping to catch him before he left. _I must ride that skateboard…_

In my pursuit, I barely noticed as a flash of dark brown suddenly materialized in front of me. I tumbled to the ground in a heap and looked up to see an impossibly muscular person looking down at me.

"Sorry, Izzy!" he offered his hand and pulled me off the ground with so much force, that when he let go, I almost fell down again. He laughed, before walking away with an enthusiastic wave and "See ya!"

Freshly baked bread mingled with coffee to create the most welcome and delicious aroma I'd inhaled in what seemed like forever. I walked into the cafeteria. _Hmm_. There was nothing like good old carbs and caffeine to get your day started. My stomach rumbled with hunger and I practically ran up to line forming in front of the buffet table.

The cafeteria was a huge, dome shaped room that put my university cafeteria to shame with its marble floors and glass ceiling. Lush plants with big leaves sat in fat vases around the tables, which themselves were round, and made of expensive looking wood.

I piled my plate with a bunch of wholesome goodness, and having seen other students handing over their ID cards, I slipped Izzy's card to the lunch lady at the end of the line. I sat in a quiet little corner, away from where most of the other students sat (not that there were many students).

_Sweet!_ Without hesitation, I shoved a bagel into my mouth, bit off a huge bite, and washed it down with a delicious sip of tea. _Sweet nourishment, what will I ever do without you?_

"You know, normally people chew their food before swallowing."

The sudden voice caused me to jump in my chair, spilling the entire contents of my cup of tea onto my arm. I nearly chocked on bagel, but managed to swallow the bite. I moaned in pain as the liquid seeped through the sleeve of the cardigan and onto my skin.

I hastily removed the sweater before looking up to give the glare of death to whoever had interrupted me.

"Zell! I will murder you!" I growled.

He scratched the back of his head, "Sorry Izzy." Reaching over, he grabbed a bunch of paper towels from the dispenser and shoved them at me.

I proceeded to wipe the tea off my arm, and when the burning subsided, I sat back down with a plunk, and wiped the edge of the table. I groaned again as I looked at the empty cup of tea.

Sighing, I grabbed the cup and got up.

Zell cleared his throat before tentatively reaching for the cup. "Um, let me get it for you," he said, a lopsided, apologetic smile on his face.

My annoyance quickly went away. He seemed truly sorry, and the guy offered me tea… "Sure! If it's not too much trouble, thanks." I smiled for added measure.

His face instantly brightened and he walked off to the thinning line in front of the coffee section of the buffet table.

_Well that was nice._

I held up the cardigan in front of me, trying to see if it was still wearable. The left sleeve was completely drenched in tea, staining the canary yellow into a gross-looking beige colour. Underneath the sweater, I'd chosen to wear a distasteful frilly pink top.

Izzy's wardrobe mostly comprised of girly things; nothing that I myself would wear. _Whatever, it's not like I'm me right now anyway._ Besides, what would have probably looked hideous on me didn't look half as bad on Izzy.

Zell came back with a steaming cup of tea and carefully put it on the table in front of me. As I thanked him, he took out the seat opposite me, turned it around, and sat down so that he was pressed against the backrest.

I hungrily grabbed the tea and took a tentative sip. _Hmm…_

Zell chewed off half a sausage in one go. His plate was piled with sausages and eggs.

_Jeesh! How does he eat like that and stay in shape?_ But then, I had noticed that everyone at Garden was in great shape. It only made sense; Garden was a mercenary academy after all.

Next to his seat, he'd propped up his bright blue wheel-less skateboard.

"Hey, Zell?"

"Hmm?" he grunted with a full mouth.

I smiled and asked, "Can I borrow your Back to the Future-esqe skateboard sometime?"

He swallowed loudly. "My what?"

_Oh crap, he wouldn't know about Back to the Future._

"No way!" he exclaimed once he saw me eyeing the board. "No one rides my T-board but me! Plus, you'll seriously hurt yourself."

I shrugged and went back to sipping at my tea. _You would think I'd asked for one of his kidneys or something_.

"Since when do you approve of my T-board?" he asked, shaking a fork in the air accusingly.

"What? Why would I not approve?"

"You're such a pain in the ass about it usually."

_Whoops._ I shrugged again.

Zell watched me for a few seconds, and I uncomfortably looked away.

"So," Zell said between bites, "are you excited for your first mission?"

My mouth fell. "What? When is it? I didn't know I had to go on a mission!" _and why didn't anyone mention anything?_

Zell put his hands up. "Calm down, jeez!" he scratched the back of his head. "I was only making conversation.

A sigh of relief passed through me, and I let out a nervous laugh. "Right, whew!" I mimed wiping my forehead. "You scared me."

He stared at me as if I was a crazy person, so I decided to nibble on the end of my bagel without a word. _The last thing I want is to mess up Izzy's school life too._

Zell took a bite of scrambled eggs. "You know," he said after swallowing, "you're really acting strange."

I sighed. "Um, I guess." I refused to meet his eyes.

"Yeah, you're never this high-strung. I always thought you were a lot like Squall, all calm and quiet." he looked at me suspiciously.

_Geez, why is everyone so hung up on the suspicious part of this?_ Instead of answering him, I loudly cleared my throat, smiled widely, and said, "Well, this has been fun, but I have to go." I abruptly pushed my chair back with a loud scrape, gathered Izzy's bag, and high-tailed it out of there. _How long am I going to keep running away from anytime someone mentions I'm not Izzy? _

I pushed all negative thought out of my mind as I focused on what Nida had told me to do. The main second-floor classroom… If I remembered correctly, Nida had mentioned the main classroom as being the one where had Squall awkwardly given his inauguration speech.

The room was empty when I entered. I checked Izzy's SeeD device. There were no other emails from Nida.

_Now what?_

I looked around the room, then out into the hallway, where a few students loitered. Biting my lip, I decided that the best thing to do was to wait for Nida. He'd told me about the study panels the previous day, and probably wanted to go through one of them.

After finding Izzy's study desk at the back of the classroom, I wasted no time in sitting roughly in the cushioned chair and turning the machine on.

'Izzy Kou….

GFs: Quezacotl (unavailable)

Ifrit

Siren

…..

Touch _here_ to obtain GF Ifrit.

I touched the button next to Ifrit's name. Suddenly a grinding sound erupted out of the machine, followed by a gentle hissing as the small compartment next to the screen opened up. Inside sat a bright red, spiky stone that looked like a ball of fire. _Cool, another GF._

I heard Siren groan when I rubbed the stone.

_Sorry, Siren, but you have to make room. _I grinned as my body started to tingle. I closed my eyes as the spirit of Ifrit entered my mind. Shuddering, I blinked open my eyes, just as a roar filled my head.

'_Ifrit?'_

'_**You are not Izzy.' **_He growled.

'Uh…'

Siren sighed loudly. _**'You won't scare Natasha,'**_ she said firmly, as she started to explain my situation to Ifrit.

'_Thanks,'_ I mentally smiled at Siren, and tried to tune out their chatter.

The screen flashed bright blue before a brightly lit menu opened up. The options were highlighted in bright red boxes. "The Basics," "About Garden," "A Message from Garden," and the last option, "The School Festival Committee." _Let's see… _I touched the "About Garden" section, and a screen popped up with more options. I skipped over all the "rules" options, and touched the "Garden Info" icon. Three options popped up, "Balamb Garden," "Trabia Garden," and "Galbadia Garden." I clicked on all three in succession, but none had more than a blurb on where each Garden was located, and a mention of each headmaster.

I went back to the "About Garden" menu, this time clicking on the "SeeD info" tab.

"Balamb Garden's mercenaries… _blah blah…_operate all over the world… _blah."_

I went back to the main menu, and this time opened the tab labeled, "The Basics." _Bingo!_ Excited, I clicked on the tab labeled "About Sorceresses and magic."

"A woman who has inherited the power of a sorceress. The origins go back to ancient times during Hyne's reign. However, no factual evidence exists."

_That's it?_ I clicked the 'next' button at the bottom of the screen, but all that told me to do was look in the library for more information. I went back to the menu, and this time clicked on "Magic." There was a bit of information about how the magic human used was Para-magic…_whatever that means._ Frustrated, I clicked the 'back' button until I was on the main menu page again.

"Well, this was extremely helpful." I rolled my eyes, thinking of the lovely string of profanities I would probably never unleash.

"How many times have I told you that computer can't hear you?"

I yelped as a hand came down to rest on Izzy's desk. Looking up, my gaze met a pair of shimmering emerald eyes.

For a few moments I just stared at Alaric, too flustered to say anything. His chocolate-brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail today, and I noticed he was wearing a crisp looking SeeD uniform.

"Hey Izzy," he whispered, looking down at me with an unreadable expression.

I cleared my throat, remembering what I had read about him in Izzy's diary. "Uh, hi."

He motioned at the seat next to me. "Mind if I sit down?"

_Oh jeez, this is gonna get extremely awkward. _"Uh, sure." I patted the seat before looping Izzy's bag over my shoulder. "I was just leaving anyway." I stood up at the precise moment he sat down on the seat next to mine. I made to slide out of the booth-like table, but Alaric grabbed my arm to stop me.

I rolled my eyes and turned to him, sure that this is how Izzy would react. "Is this necessary? I really have to be somewhere," I said in the coldest voice I could muster.

His face fell and I felt a pang of guilt.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes," he whispered in a strained voice.

_Oh jeez._ "Sorry," I answered, "I really have to go."

He eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "You can't give me two minutes of-"

"We'll talk later, I promise!" I smiled for good measure. _Jeesh, what a creep!_ With that, I jerked my hand out of his grip and practically jogged to the door.

_Smack!_ The wind was knocked out of me, and I took a step back to see Nida recovering from the collision.

He groaned and rubbed his chest.

"Sorry!"

He shook away my feeble apology and turned me around. "I'm glad you're here, I wanted to show you some-What?"

I loudly cleared my throat and nudged my head towards Alaric, who watched us intently from the front of the room. _How did he get there so fast?_

"Can I help you?" asked Alaric in slow, haughty drawl. "There's a class starting here in twenty minutes, and unless you're in it, you'll have to leave." He looked at me pointedly.

I wanted to ask him if we could stay for five minutes, but Nida dragged me away before I could so much as get a syllable out.

"I thought we needed the classroom!" I protested as Nida and I reached the bridge over Garden's first floor.

He nodded, "I wanted to show you Izzy's study panel."

"That would have taken five minutes!"

"I know, but we don't question an instructor. Do you want to get in trouble?"

I opened my mouth-

"Plus, it looks like you already got your other GFs." He leaned against the banister and crossed his arms.

I leaned next to him. "Wait, how do you know I did?"

Nida turned to face me, "Your eyes have the GF glow," he stated simply.

And now that I paid attention, his eyes were tinged with a greenish glow, which I remembered seeing on all the other SeeDs on the day of the exam.

I sighed and sat down on the floor. _It's not a good thing that I'm starting to get used to being here._ So far, being at Garden had been interesting, fun even, but the idea of everything becoming familiar scared me._ Why isn't there any information about the sorceress? _Every textbook that I'd looked through would mention Adel or other sorceresses, but no description had so far fit the one I was looking for. My dream theory was starting to seem more plausible, but that was the one I knew wasn't true.

Nida started talking, and it was only then I realized he'd sat down next to me. "-later by the classroom?"

I asked him to repeat himself.

He sighed, "I said I have to get to class, but can you meet me by the main classroom by two?"

I nodded quietly, wondering whether I should just leave Garden.

Nida waved as he jogged off to his class, and for a few moments I just stared after him, not knowing where I should go.

_I guess I'll go back to the library. _

The elevator door _dinged_ open and I stepped out into the hallway. Just as I was turning into the library hallway, I heard two bickering voices.

"Seifer! You can't be serious!" _Was that Quistis? _I turned around slowly in time to see Seifer rush past me, followed promptly by Quistis.

She caught up to him and roughly turned him around with her hands. _She's a lot stronger than she looks._ I moved closer.

"If they actually think they can send Leonhart," he spat the name as if it was something nasty, "to Timber with those two losers-" he didn't finish his thought, but instead gave Quistis a look of pure hatred.

"If you think you're going to become some big hero, forget it." Quistis sneered, "You haven't even been able to pass the SeeD exam."

"Do you seriously think that matters?" he whispered so low, I didn't know if I heard him properly.

I tentatively stepped closer.

Seifer roughly shook himself free of Quistis' grasp, and stalked off down the hallway.

"Seifer!" Quistis didn't hesitate, and ran off after him.

I bit my lower lip. My gut was telling me to run after them, and I didn't like ignoring my instinct. Why would Seifer say being a SeeD didn't matter? It mattered everything to Garden students.

Ignoring the Siren's protesting words, I ran towards the Parking Lot, where the other two had disappeared.

* * *

Next chapter should be up within the next few days!

Please review with any comments/concerns/criticism you may have :)


	10. Dreams

This is the longest chapter yet, so you might want to get a snack and drink :)

As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, and adding to favourites/alerts!

* * *

"Listen to me Seifer, you can't go off on a SeeD mission!" I heard Quistis say as I lumbered unceremoniously through the glass door.

"Dear Instructor, what makes you think that you can stop me?" Seifer drawled at a frowning Quistis.

Then her expression changed from hateful to concerned, "for once in your life, Seifer, listen to me. This mission has nothing to do with you, and..." She sighed and looked away from him, and I couldn't hear what she said.

Seifer watched her with an expression that looked almost sad for a second. "Quistis, I have to go. This is my chance to fulfill my dream," he whispered.

_His dream?_ And here I thought he was just a hateful jerk from hell.

"Seifer…" Quistis said in a tone that clearly said she didn't want to hear it.

Seifer whipped a hand in the air, as if batting an invisible fly. "Dammit, Trepe! I don't give a shit about SeeD or Garden. There's bigger things happening." He paused to sneer down at Quistis before continuing, "that bastard Deling has to go down."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

Seifer let out a dry laugh, and quickly looked around before lowering his voice.

I stepped closer, but his words just sounded like a jumble of hissing sounds. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I stepped dangerously close to the two.

"…might be a sorceress."

I nearly choked. _Sorceress?_ I stepped out from the shadows and in Seifer's line of vision, but he was leaning towards Quistis and didn't seem to see me.

Quistis took a step back from Seifer, "How did you…"

"I have my sources," Seifer spat out before turning around with a swish of his coat, and walking up to the car rental counter.

I stepped next to Quistis, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

She abruptly turned around and her eyes widened upon seeing me. "What are you doing here Izzy?" suspicion was written all over her face.

I grimaced before answering her, "I couldn't help but overhear. What's going on?"

She shook her head. "Izzy, go back inside. This doesn't concern you." she narrowed her eyes sternly.

My heart sank, but I wouldn't give up. I was sure Seifer had mentioned a sorceress. "I, uh, heard Seifer say something about Timber." I took a deep breath before stuttering, "w-what's going on there?"

"Listen to me Izzy," she sounded as if she was trying hard to remain calm. "You can't come with us. Cid might send you on a mission and if you're not there-"

"My family lives there!" I suddenly yelled, then felt my face flush. "Uh, yeah. So if something's happening, I'm not gonna sit around and do nothing!" _Please don't know where Izzy's family lives._

Quistis exhaled slowly and opened her mouth, but was cut off.

"What do you mean there's no more non-SeeD cars?" Seifer banged a fist on the counter and the attendant took a step back. Seifer looked livid, like a kid who has nothing but a lump of coal to look forward to on Christmas morning.

Quistis sent me a concerned look before running to Seifer's side.

"W-we can't issue SeeD cars to r-regular students." the poor kid behind the counter stuttered. He looked about ready to wet his pants.

Seifer put a hand to the hilt of his sheathed weapon, leering at the attendant in a sort of sadistic way. I felt my eyes bug out of my head, but the next moment Quistis put a hand around Seifer's arm to stop him. I shuddered, wondering how far Seifer was capable of taking his anger, and was glad that I stood safely out of his line of sight.

Quistis immediately sidestepped Seifer to talk to the attendant. "I'll be the one to operate it, then," she said in a fluid voice, as if it she just wanted to go for a leisurely joy ride. Seifer smirked like a lion on prowl as he watched Quistis grab the key from the attendant. She turned around, her gaze icy cold and posture rigid as she made her way through the door that led out into the area where the cars were parked.

I ran and hurled myself through the door from which the two blonds had disappeared. I knew I should probably have turned around and headed back to the classroom, where I knew Nida was expecting me to be, but there was no way I would give up this opportunity to find the sorceress.

"Hey!" I screamed at the two blonds, running at full speed to catch up. They turned around, Quistis with an annoyed sort or look on her face, and Seifer with mild surprise.

Quistis sighed as I fell into step beside her. "Izzy…"

"No. There's nothing you can say to get me to not come with you guys!" _Geez, what's the big deal?_

We got into the car in silence. Other than a bored look my way, Seifer ignored me. I shrugged and strapped myself into the backseat of the car. _I hope I can find her in Timber._ But what exactly would I do when I confronted the sorceress? My stomach rumbled. I hadn't thought this far. If the woman was powerful enough to send me to another world, what else was she capable of? _Well, in any case, she's the only one who can send me back._ I settled back in my seat. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and I could worry about the sorceress when I got to her.

Quistis revved the engine, and we burst through the large metal garage door. She sped off down the driveway and merged into the main road, which was labeled, 'Central Balamb Way.' _Jeesh, if I had known what a psycho driver she is, I would have offered to drive._ Not that it would have made a difference. Instead of focusing on the speed of Quistis's driving, I turned my attention to her and Seifer's fast-paced conversation.

"…think that Leonhart will be able to help her? Three rookie SeeDs… what were they thinking?" Seifer finished.

"They're fully trained, what makes you think you can do a better job?" Quistis spat with an exasperated frown.

Seifer glared at her as she turned her attention back on the road.

"Because Rin- I'm better for the job!"

Quistis whipped her head towards Seifer, "Rinoa? I should have known she would factor into this." She shook her head and turned her attention back to the road.

"Imagine her disappointment when she gets Puberty boy and chicken-wuss instead of me…"

Quistis remained silent, and through the rearview mirror I could see that her mouth was set in a tight straight line, as if she indeed had something to say, but she just wouldn't say it.

Seifer diverted his gaze ahead of him. "Still can't believe why they sent that chicken-wuss though…" he muttered to himself.

Quistis sighed with annoyance, and silence fell over the car. The tension was thick enough that I could probably slice it with a knife, and even then it wouldn't go away.

"Who's Rinoa?" I blurted out of genuine curiosity.

Seifer grunted, most likely out of annoyance.

Quistis met my gaze in the rearview mirror. She bit her lip, and sent Seifer a fleeting glance before answering, "She's Seifer's girl-"

_Bang!_ Seifer brought a fist down into the dashboard.

Quistis shook her head again, sighed, and went back to glaring in front of her.

_Seifer's girlfriend? Wait a minute, _"So why was she dancing with Squall afterward?" I hadn't really directed the question at him, but the next moment Seifer turned to face me, looking absolutely livid.

"What the hell do you know about it?" he barked.

I sent him a bored look and waved a hand in the air. "Nothing, but if you ask me, dancing with some guy her boyfriend dislikes is pretty crappy girlfriend behaviour."

Seifer smirked and hissed, "Not that you'd know anything about girlfriend behaviour, prude." He turned around, and from where I sat, I couldn't see his expression.

I stared at the back of his head in surprise, not exactly knowing how to react to that. From what I had read in Izzy's diary, she didn't seem like a prude. _She secretly went out with a teacher for goodness sakes! _I shrugged, did I really need to care about what Seifer thought of Izzy? Nope.

Soon enough, we reached the quaint little arched entryway of Balamb town. Quistis drove through the arch and turned the car towards the right, into the fairly empty indoor parking lot. Before she could properly park the car, Seifer hurtled out his seat and slammed the door behind him.

Quistis quickly turned the car off, shoved the key in her pocket, and stepped out the same time I did. "Well, let's go," she said to me.

I nodded and followed her as she jogged off after Seifer. I wondered why we were stopping in Balamb. Wasn't Seifer in a hurry to get to that Timber place? _Whatever, they know where they're going._

We jogged through the town, and ten minutes later, caught up to Seifer. He was just walking up to a kiosk that said 'Tickets' over the top in blocky letters. He barely acknowledged us as we stepped up beside him and faced the short, pretty woman standing in the kiosk.

"Hi!" she greeted.

"Can I get three tickets to Timber?" Quistis asked kindly. She handed the girl her Balamb ID, which I noticed was said 'instructor' instead of 'student.'

The ticket girl smiled, and handed Quistis her card back, along with three train tickets. _No money?_ "The train will arrive in about an hour," she said, and waved as Quistis hastily stepped away from the booth.

"Sweet! Instructors get free train tickets?" I beamed at Quistis.

She nodded curtly, and looked down rather guiltily. "Just one of the perks," she whispered before shoving one of the tickets in my hand.

_Weird._ I shrugged and slipped the ticket in my pocket.

We made our way up the stairs that led into the train station. We crossed the turnstiles and stepped onto the single train platform. _Odd,_ I thought, _shouldn't there be more than one track?_ But then, Balamb was a pretty small town, and I didn't think many trains passed by it. The lone, napping security guard was proof enough.

"Let's wait over there," Quistis gestured to a bench that sat against the opposite wall. I nodded at her before we headed to the bench. Quistis sat down first and leaned back. She looked exhausted, and it was only still morning. I sat down beside her on the hard surface, just now realizing that I had followed the two teenagers because of a single mention of the word sorceress. How did I even know that Seifer had been telling the truth? _What did he even say about her?_ I suddenly felt a chill overtake me. What exactly was I getting myself into?

'_**Natasha,'**_ Siren suddenly piped up.

I drew in a shaking breath, ready for an extreme tongue-lashing. After all, I had been ignoring her throughout the car ride. _'Hey, Siren.'_

She sighed in a tired sort of way. _**'Well I'm glad you're not ignoring me anymore.'**_

I smiled sheepishly. _'Sorry.'_

There was a silence, during which I hoped that she wasn't too angry.

_**'Do you have any idea what you're up against, trying to go after a sorceress?'**_

My stomach knotted. _'No, Siren, I don't.'_

Suddenly, I heard Ifrit let out an exasperated growl. _**'Foolish mortal. Sorceresses are power-hungry and merciless. You don't stand a chance against them.'**_

My heart sank. What was I doing? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of never being able to get home, but not because I couldn't find a way, but because of getting killed.

'_**Give it a rest, Ifrit.'**_ Siren scolded. _**'You're terrifying her.'**_

'_**I'm just telling her what she needs to hear,'**_ he answered.

'_Look, I have to try. Unlike you guys, I didn't choose to leave my world.'_ I was angry with Siren. It was bad enough I felt helpless, but she could at least have been a little supportive.

'_**Hey, I want you to get home as much as you do. I just hope you understand that it will be dangerous to go head to head against a sorceress.'**_ She paused, thinking hard about what to say. _**'But you should also know that we'll be with you along the way.'**_

Ifrit grunted, and I supposed that meant he agreed, albeit a little apprehensively. Regardless, I felt a surge of hope. Then something else occurred to me. Someone else had been willing to help me. I groaned, remembering that I was supposed to meet Nida in the library.

"Hey, Quistis."

She turned to me and blinked, as if she had just snapped out of a daze. "Yes?"

"Would you know all the new SeeDs' weekly schedules by any chance?"

She scrutinized me for a few painful seconds, and then replied, "No, new schedules are posted at the beginning of every week. Why?" Her eyes were full of suspicion and confusion.

I nodded. "I just thought since you're an instructor..." I grinned, hoping that she would believe me.

She shook her head. "I'm no longer an instructor, I'm a regular SeeD now." She kept her gaze in front of her.

"Oh..."

Quistis turned to me, "Who's schedule do you want to know?"

"Um, Nida's," I reluctantly met her gaze and continued, "I sort of promised him I would meet him after his class, but well, uh…" I scratched the back of my head.

"You followed us instead," she finished for me. Her eyes suddenly turned cold. "So what's the real reason you did?"

My breath caught in my throat and I looked away from her burning gaze. "Because-" I squeaked.

"I know your family is Galbadian, Izzy, so what are you hiding?" her voice was calm and collected, but there was a commanding tone behind it, which clearly meant I better tell the truth.

I sighed before answering flatly, "I heard Seifer mention something." I looked her straight in the eyes before continuing, "Sorceress. I had to find out more."

She sucked in a sharp breath.

"Does he know about a sorceress?"

She stared at me, her expression becoming less cold. "I honestly don't know," she whispered with a shake of her head.

I sighed and leaned back in my seat, still feeling Quistis's eyes on me.

"But you had heard about a sorceress before that." It wasn't a question. I met her gaze, sure that mine showed shock. _Man, how the hell does she know everything?_

I muttered the first thing that came to my head, "my parents mentioned that there was a sorceress in, um, Timber." I invented, watching her carefully. "But that's about it, and when I heard Seifer mention what he did, I had to find out for myself." I held her gaze, my heart hammering in my chest, and hoped that I didn't sound ludicrous.

Finally, after a full, agonizing minute, Quistis took her eyes off me. She leaned back into the bench, and I let out the breath I had been holding.

"It figures," she whispered. "Your father is in President Deling's circle. He wouldn't have any trouble finding these things out."

_Huh, so Izzy's parents are some big shots._ I wondered why Nida hadn't given me information such as this. I mean, it was important for me to know things like these, and all Nida had told me just showed me that he missed Izzy. I shook my head. _No. It's not his fault he likes his friend and wants to talk about how great she is._

Besides that, it seemed that the sorceress was up to bigger things than sending me to this world and back. Then why _did _she send me here? Had she even meant to? Most importantly, did she even know what exactly she had done, switching my body with someone else's?

I shakily grabbed a lock of my hair and started tugging on it. My heart clenched with dread. If she was going around in public, that probably meant she had goonies or something with her, messing things up and causing trouble. This was going to be so much more difficult than I had originally anticipated. _What the hell am I going to do without Nida?_

I took a few long, shaky breaths to calm myself down. There was no way I was giving up. I had to get home, and if that meant getting hurt along the way, so be it. I absently watched Seifer pacing next to the empty track, his hand resting gently on the hilt of his sword. It was a little amusing to see how worked up he was. I supposed I would be too if I was in his situation.

"So what's the deal with Seifer, Rinoa, and Squall?" I asked Quistis suddenly, trying to lighten the mood.

She turned to me in surprise, as if I just shook her from her thoughts. A smile broke over her face as she realized what I had just asked her. "Rinoa is Seifer's girlfriend. Squall doesn't know her," her smile faltered slightly, "but she kind of dragged him on the dance floor at the party."

"Ah." I giggled. "No wonder Seifer was all bunched up when he talked about Squall going to help her instead of him."

She frowned, "It's not really to help her that he went. Headmaster Cid sent them on a SeeD mission that just happens to include Rinoa."

The look on her face made me wipe the smile off my face. It was a sad, faraway kind of look, identical to the one she wore when Squall had blown her off last night. _I'm obviously missing something._

"Well, that explains why Seifer was so pissed this morning."

Quistis looked like she wanted to say something, but a loud beeping sound cut her off. "THE TRAIN TO TIMBER WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY. PLEASE HAVE YOUR TICKETS READY. I REPEAT, THE TRAIN TO TIMBER WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY. THANK YOU." B_eep._

We both got up off the bench and walked up to the platform, where a blue electrical engine was just pulling in. Seifer extended his hand at Quistis and she handed him his ticket.

"Wha-" the guard was shaken awake by the grinding sound of the train coming to a full stop. He looked at the three of us tiredly before his eyes went wide with realization. "Oh! May I see your tickets?" He extended a hand. Seifer was the first to hand over his ticket. The guard stamped it and handed it back to Seifer, with a monotonous "have a good trip."

After our tickets had been stamped, I followed Quistis up the set of metal steps and into the train. The train car was spacious and wide, without seats or even poles to hold on to.

"Er, shouldn't there be seats or belts or something?" I asked.

Quistis turned to me with a warm smile. "We're not going to ride in here." she walked over to the door to the right side of the one we had entered, and held up her SeeD ID card to a little reader by it. With a beep and a click, the door slid open. "This is the first time either of you are entering the SeeD car, isn't it?"

Ok, I was excited by the way she grinned, and I pretty much skipped to the door. I followed Quistis as she walked through yet another door on our right, with Seifer right behind me.

"Oooh!" I squealed. I couldn't help it. The SeeD cabin was beautiful. There was a full-sized bunk bed on the far right corner, covered in expensive-looking down comforters. Next to the bed sat a plush-looking leather sofa that curved around to cover an entire corner. Two blinds-covered windows were on the walls above the couch, surrounded by royal coloured walls that matched the grand rug, which was strategically placed smack dab in the center of the room. I walked over to the other end of the room, where a mini-fridge sat near a small table with a microwave on it. Beside it was a narrow door with a bathroom sign on it. I'd never seen a train this nice.

Grinning, I turned to Quistis. She now stood in the middle of the room, her hands crossed gently in front of her chest. "This is what I call luxury!" I turned back and opened the fridge. It was packed with soft drinks, fruit, and snacks. I grabbed a bright red can and crossed the room to perch myself on the bed. A hiss was heard as I sat down on the soft mattress.

"Simple things amuse simple minds," drifted Seifer's voice from the other end of the room.

I ignored him, put my feet up and leaned back onto a mound of feather-soft pillows.

"Try to relax a little, we're going to be here for a while," said Quistis. I turned my face toward her and nodded. She was now sitting on the other side of the couch, trying her best to ignore Seifer's angry face. He probably didn't want to wait too long. Whatever.

I shrugged and popped open my can of 'Balamb Delight', and brought it to my lips. _Hmm._ The drink was cool and sweet and tasted like an extremely carbonated version of Pepsi. "Man, I could live on this stuff!" I chugged another humongous sip and turned towards the other two, propping my head on my elbow. "So what's with the Squall-hate?"

Seifer turned to me, looking slightly surprised, "What would you know about it?" he sneered.

I rolled my eyes and fake-yawned. "Oh please, you can drop the asshole act," I said nonchalantly, and then muttered, "Jeez, it was only a question."

He stared at me with a conflicted sort of expression, like he wanted to punch me, but was amused at the same time. I figured he wasn't used to people standing up to him. Whatever. I had spent a good portion of my youth being teased and bullied because I had been an overweight kid; so learning to ignore jerks wasn't something new to me.

"I don't hate the guy," Seifer suddenly said. "I just keep proving that I'm better than him."

I nearly choked on my drink._ Wow, he's actually serious._ Instead, I asked, "Why?" I propped myself up so that I could meet his eyes better. "Wouldn't it just be easier if you guys were friends? You know, engage in some healthy friendly competition?" I hadn't meant to delve into the matter, but it just sounded so exhausting that he was always competing with Squall.

Seifer watched me for a few seconds with an unreadable expression before replying, "Because then I wouldn't have a rival to show up to," he said in a matter-of-fact way.

"And wouldn't life be so much simpler for all of us if that were the case?" Quistis spoke for the first time. She had been watching us converse with amusement, and a knowing sort of glint in her eyes.

I covered up a yawn with my hand. "Yeah, no wonder the kid walks around with a stick up his ass. He has Seifer harassing him at every corner."

Seifer's reaction was absolutely hilarious. He gaped at me, his mouth opened in shock. Beside him, Quistis shook her head, but she had a smile on her face.

I smiled sheepishly. "Heh, I just mean that he's unnaturally uptight." I scratched the back of my head, wondering if Izzy ever spoke so crudely. Judging from Seifer's smirking face, probably not.

"He just needs to get laid!" Seifer waved a hand in the air, and then leaned back into the couch with his hands behind his head. Quistis looked shocked. I wanted to agree, but what did I know about Squall's dating habits?

No more was said on the topic, thankfully. I chugged the last of my drink and set it down on the bedside table. Leaning back further into the pillows, I could feel my body start to relax. _I'm so tired._ I wasn't used to waking up at the crack of dawn, or living off three hours of sleep for that matter. I yawned and closed my eyes. What would I say to the sorceress when I had to confront her? I turned over and faced the wall. Would she actually be able to send me back home? What about Izzy? I took in a deep breath. C_an I worry about that later?_ The bed was extremely comfortable, and I was so sleepy…

At first, the dream was as nonsensical and convoluted as the plot of that soap opera my mom used to watch, _Passions _or something.

A playground. I watched Squall and Seifer fist fight from my place on top of the monkey bars. They seemed to be fighting over Rinoa, who looked like Quistis with black hair. She sat on a swing, occasionally yawning at the two overly aggressive guys. I shook my head. Boys were ridiculous.

Then everything blacked out; darkness, oppressive and menacing, overtook my senses. I blinked, but smell returned first, bringing the stench of burning machinery. I coughed. _Where am I? _Something warm and sticky was pasted on my cheeks and wrapped around my neck, and I impatiently brushed it away, only to realize that it was my sweat-soaked hair. My head throbbed and my vision was nothing more than a dark blur. _What happened to my glasses? _There was something white and large in front of me that obstructed my movement and vision. I groaned and tried to push it away. _Airbag?_

My heart hammering, I looked around frantically as I deflated the airbag. Something tight and rough was strapped over my shoulder; with shaking hands, I unbuckled the seatbelt.

Sitting next to me was a blurry shadow. My heart stopped as I realized that it wasn't moving. "Noah!" I flung the seatbelt off of me and grabbed his shoulders. "Noah!" I sobbed out, shaking him with more force than was necessary.

With a weak groan that sent shivers down my spine, Noah stirred. "Nata?" he whispered. His voice was thin and scratchy sounding.

"We need to get out of here!" I screamed, and his head snapped up. I squinted my eyes, but my vision was blurry and my head felt like it would explode.

I heard Noah unbuckle his seatbelt. "What happened?" his voice was still hoarse, and he suddenly groaned. "Oww, my head," he muttered.

I let out a shaky breath as I remembered. "We fell off the side of the highway," I answered flatly. "A truck – a truck hit us and I didn't swerve in time." I moaned and banged my head on the air bag covered steering wheel.

Noah patted my shoulder. "There, there sis, not everyone can be a driver." He sounded like he was smirking.

I turned on him. "The truck hit us from behind, you idiot! I had no time to spin away from the curb!" How could he joke around at a time like this?

Through the darkness, I could see him put his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay," he muttered something else about 'that time of the month,' but I ignored him.

"We need to get out of here." I unlocked my door with some difficulty, but no matter how much I pushed on it, it didn't budge. I groaned loudly, feeling tears of frustration well up in my eyes.

"What's the matter?" Noah called from outside his open door.

"My door won't budge." I tentatively lifted myself up and reached around the car in order to clear a way for myself. "I'm gonna get out from your door. Man, I can't see a thing."

There was no response. "Noah?" I called out.

"Oh shit… I don't think you should see this, Natasha!" his voice sounded like it was coming from the other side of the car.

"Is it that bad?" I squeaked out. _Great, I just got my license and look what happens._ I inched my way across the seats, which was rather difficult to do with my legs wedged between the steering wheel and driver's seat. I managed to break free and crawled out, landing softly on the grass. I stood up nimbly, trying not to hurt myself. "Noah?" I called again.

No answer. "Hey, how bad is it?" I yelled, coughing as the smell of burnt rubber invaded my nostrils.

Suddenly, the air became frigid with a wind that appeared out of nowhere. _It's the middle of July, for goodness sakes!_ I limped forward. Why wasn't he answering me? "Noah, I swear to God…"

A loud groan shut me up.

I stumbled blindly towards where I had heard the sound. He didn't answer.

"Silence!" a velvety voice, belonging to a woman whose outline I could faintly see not far from where Noah stood.

"Noah?" my voice trembled with fear as I blindly stepped toward the shadows.

Another groan, and I could see Noah struggle and gesture wildly.

A white light, then silence.

My hands were tightly clasped onto something soft and fleshy. I ripped my eyes open and jerked myself up with such force that a few pillows went tumbling to the ground and landed in a heap. Sweat-soaked hair was pasted to my face and I was desperately sucking in air through my constricted throat.

"Izzy!" I looked up into a pair of pale blue eyes that were narrowed in pain. _What the…?_ I immediately unclasped my hand from around Seifer's wrist, and he roughly stood up. I watched him with wide eyes, not quite able to register what was going on. Tears were running down my face, and I frantically looked around the room. I was in the SeeD cabin on the train to Timber.

"What's wrong with you?" The voice was sharp.

I looked up. Seifer was watching me intently, clearly freaked out as he rubbed his wrist. It was covered in bright pink fingernail marks.

I stood up abruptly and wiped the tears from my face. "What happened?" I choked out.

"You were screaming and kicking in your sleep," Seifer answered flatly, "it looked pretty shitty so I tried to wake you up, but you grabbed onto my wrist really tightly." He still looked creeped out, and stepped back to sit down heavily on the couch, still rubbing his wrist.

Quistis was nowhere to be seen.

I watched him numbly, feeling a lump forming in my throat. "Sorry," I whispered as I turned around and shoved myself into the bathroom. Without turning on the light, I leaned over the sink and took several deep breaths.

The tap spit out a generous amount of water before it slowed into a steady stream. I watched it blankly for a few seconds before cupping my hands under it and shoving the water into my mouth. Next I slapped a handful on my face, and carefully turned the faucet off.

I looked up into the mirror, only mildly surprised to see Izzy's face. Her ice-blue eyes stared back at me, red rimmed and bruised-looking. Her skin was ghost pale and I stared. _How long have I kept that memory buried? _It had been two years since the accident, and during those two years I had successfully shoved the accident in the dark corners of my mind, not once thinking about it. A shudder passed through me.

I stared at Izzy's beautiful blue eyes as they watered and finally spilled over. My arms buckled on the sink as the tears ran silently down my face. _Noah… why didn't you run away?_

I couldn't take it anymore. Sobs burst from my mouth as tears spilled freely from my eyes. My heart clenched, and I suddenly felt ice cold. I wrapped my arms around myself and sank to the floor against the closed door.

Noah didn't deserve to be remembered this way, all cold and dead. For two years, _two fucking years,_ I had not once thought about the accident. _He would have been twenty-two this year…_ I shook my head so violently that my hair whipped the side of my neck. No. I wouldn't think about what would and should be. Instead, my mind wandered to the scene I had just witnessed. _I thought I forgot about the accident…_ My memory was fuzzy, but all I remembered was a crash, and then waking up in the hospital. My stomach clenched and unclenched, so what the hell was this dream all about? The shadows, and a silvery voice...

I suddenly sat upright, feeling all the blood drain from my face. The sorceress! I was sure of it. The cold, velvety voice, the air around her ice-cold, and all of a sudden something fit into place; she knew me because she had seen me before… when she killed my brother! More shivers overtook me as anger reached around my heart and squeezed it in an icy grip. Was this just a dream or a memory? _It felt so real… as if I was experiencing it over again. _I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking off the fresh tears that lingered within them. Was the dream just a dream? Or was I remembering something? I squeezed my eyes tighter and tried to remember that night, to look part the blurs in my memory.

"Ow!" I put my hands up to my temples, messaging the shooting pain that started there. It hurt to try and remember. So what was up with the dream? I let out a shaking breath and stood up. _Was that a memory, or just something I imagined because I was thinking about the sorceress? _Worse yet, was someone or something messing with my mind?

_**'Natasha…**_' Siren's voice came steady and clear through the stray thoughts.

I looked up into the mirror again and started fixing Izzy's hair. _'I'm not going to break down, Siren,' _I answered stiffly.

_**'Oh, sweetie.' **_My heart clenched at her words, and I instantly felt my eyes prickle. She sounded just like my mother. I was suddenly overtaken by a wave of nausea, but my stomach was empty and nothing came out. I leaned into the sink and sobbed, letting tears run down my face again. I missed home and I missed my friends. Hell, a part of me even missed school.

_'Who'd have thought I would miss writing exams and essays?' _I grinned weakly. And suddenly, miraculously, a warm feeling spread through my body. It started as just a spark, but I felt it grow and engulf my entire body in its warmth. Siren and Ifrit remained quiet, but I could feel their presence. I reached a shaking hand to my forehead. _Are they mentally hugging me?_

When they didn't answer, I wiped the tears away and splashed another handful of cold water on my face. _There's only one thing I have to focus on. _My head spun with questions, but I pushed them aside. I took one more look into the mirror, screwed up my face so that it looked relatively calm, then stepped out of the cramped bathroom.

"Oh good, you're ready," Quistis greeted me. "We'll be reaching Timber soon." She started to smile, but it turned into a frown of concern. "Are you okay?"

I smiled at her in strained sort of way. "Yup."

She nodded, her face still masked in concern, but didn't say anything else. I made my way over to the couch next to Seifer. He was watching me with from the corner of his eye, and as I sat down, he turned his face towards mine.

"What happened to you?"

Despite myself, I grinned, "Wow, how nice of you to care Seifer."

He rolled his eyes. "I was just asking." Well, he did look more curious than concerned.

I sighed and leaned back into the couch with a hiss of leather. "It was just a bad dream. I get nightmares sometimes," I looked up to see him watching me with an expression I couldn't read. "Sorry about nearly lacerating your arm, by the way."

He watched me with that same expression before waving a hand in the air dismissively (with a gulp I noticed that it was bruised with fingernail marks.) "It's nothing. I've just never seen someone that fucked up while sleeping."

"Izzy, you should probably talk to Dr. Kadowski about your nightmares," said Quistis.

I looked up at her and smiled again. "Thanks, I'll do that." _Goodness my head hurts. _

_Beep. _"WE ARE NOW ARRIVING AT TIMBER. THANK YOU." _Beeeep!_

"Finally!" roared Seifer, and abruptly got up and zoomed out the door, his large coat flapping around him.

I looked at Quistis who was watching the boy with an exasperated frown.

"Shall we go?"

She nodded and stepped out of the door. When the train came to a complete stop and the doors hissed open, Seifer was the first one to go bounding down the steps. Instead of stopping at the bottom like a nice gentleman, he took off down the street.

"Seifer!" yelled Quistis as she charged after him.

I groaned loudly and followed them. _And here I wanted to take a look around._

We jogged through the town, whipping past shocked and annoyed people. I sent apologies flying behind me as I followed the two down a cobblestone alley. We crossed a bridge that hung over some train tracks, and kept running towards a street lined with various business buildings.

Seifer suddenly stopped in his tracks in front of a building labeled 'Timber Maniacs.' I bent over to catch my breath. It felt like my lungs were on fire, and a stitch at my side caused me to buckle. "What the hell!" I yelled, but Seifer ignored me. He was looking around the town square, muttering to himself.

"That way!" he screamed, and ran off down the street. I was starting to believe he had gone crazy.

Without a word, Quistis and I followed him through the square. We finally reached a set of cobblestone stairs, where Seifer had already descended. The stairs led down to a run down building with a giant neon sign that said 'PUB' in glaring scarlet letters. Quistis and I followed Seifer into the noisy, smelly pub and stopped.

"Where did he go?" I asked Quistis. We looked around to catch a sight of a white trench coat, but didn't see Seifer anywhere. Of course, it didn't help that it was dark and noisy, mostly because of a big screen television that hung on one of the walls.

"There's a door at the other end. Lets go!" She pointed to the door for a second before crossing the bar and shoving herself through it. I followed her out into yet another alley (complete with passed out drunk.)

We soon reached a set of thin metal stairs that led up to what must have been a TV station. There was a ginormous television screen propped up on the outer wall of the building. I gaped at the blank screen for what must have been too long, because the next moment Quistis was clambering her the stairs with a _clunk clunk_ at every step.

"Wait!" I screamed, and stepped on the stairs. But she didn't hear me and kept running up. With a groan I followed her.

The stairs ended to merge into a metal walkway that led around the building. Without hesitation, I followed Quistis as she disappeared through the farther door at the end of the walkway. I hurled myself through the door.

The room itself looked like a studio of some sort, with television equipment scattered haphazardly on the floor. It was rather cramped, with a flight of stairs leading up to a an area blocked off by heavy curtains, like a stage or something. I couldn't help but get a bad gut feeling about it, like something horrible was waiting to pounce behind there. The room was suspiciously empty, but I could hear faint sounds coming from the hallway that led off to another, unseen room.

"They've started," Seifer declared.

"Seifer, this is by far the stupidest thing you're doing!" Quistis was staring at him with tired exasperation, as if she was used to trying to stop him from stirring trouble.

He ignored her and sauntered closer to the hallway, one hand on the hilt of his gunblade, ready for whoever would stumble upon us. I shuddered suddenly, sure that Seifer wouldn't hold back hurting someone so we wouldn't get caught… or even killing them.

Quistis sent me a look that plainly said, "we shouldn't be here." I tried to grin nonchalantly, but was pretty sure it looked more like a grimace. The truth was, this room had an unexplainable chill to it, like in horror movies where you know a character is walking to their death.. I couldn't shake the dread that was settling itself in my chest. Why was the studio empty? Something didn't add up.

**'This was a bad idea…'** Siren said softly, and to my surprise, Ifrit grunted with approval. I gulped and ignored the GFs, even though I agreed with them. We walked the length of the hallway silently, as voices carried over from the other room.

"...trifling problems standing between Galbadia and the rest of the world, and they must be resolved."

I leaned over to get a better look. From where I stood, I could see an aged man in a power suit standing in front of a dark wooden podium. He spoke into about a million microphones. Around him stood a few guards in blue uniforms. I leaned in closer to listen to his speech.

"Allow me to introduce the ambassador who will be my representative..."

"Bastard!" Seifer screamed, and before either Quistis or I could react, Seifer unsheathed his sword and lumbered towards the man.

There was no time to react, and I watched with horror as a uniformed soldier tried to grab Seifer. But before the soldier had gotten too close, Seifer raised his sword and swiped. I put a hand on my mouth, holding back a scream, as the soldier buckled. Only his mouth was visible beneath the helmet that covered most of his face, and it was ripped open in a silent scream. It was like I was watching a slow-motion scene in a slasher movie, and I couldn't make a movement as the soldier put his hands on his chest, trying desperately to stop the flow of blood that seeped through his uniform. His body shook, and I felt a sudden urge to stand next to him and tell him that he was going to a better place as he died in a horrible, blood-filled way.

The next moment, however, all thoughts of the soldier were gone, as an unnatural chill overtook me. I shuddered as a feeling of dread crawled up my body. Someone or something sighed from behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge and I abruptly turned around. _It's nothing_.

**_'Something's terribly wrong,_' **said Ifrit in a voice that showed only a hint of fear. I shuddered again, because if Ifrit had an ounce of fear, it meant I should be terrified.

I looked up at the curtain suspiciously, sure that I heard something from behind it. My stomach knotted with fear, but I ignored it and stepped closer to the curtain.

The edge of the curtain parted momentarily. I put a hand over my mouth. Was that the sorceress? I climbed up the stairs, my heart hammering in my chest, as if protesting against me with all its might.

**_'Natasha… don't.'_**

I ignored Siren's warning, along with the fact that both GFs were now preparing my junctions, as if for battle.

Raising deft fingers to the velvet, I opened the curtain just enough to be able to peek inside with one eye. She stood facing in my direction, but her eyes were on a piece of paper in her pointy-gloved hands. She looked different, but she emanated the same chill, the same power. Her face showed no emotion. She wore a tight black dress with a plunging, fur rimmed neckline, and had she not been frightening, I would have thought she was beautiful.

My breath stopped. She looked up from the piece of paper in her hands and her eyes met mine. They were just as cold and vacant as I remembered, only worse, because she was physically present, not shifting as a ghost.

I dropped the curtain back in place and stumbled backwards, hoping against hope that she wouldn't come out of her place. Shivers racked my body. What was I thinking going after her?

Several voices snapped me out of my daze. I turned around, but the room was empty; I could hear Seifer's voice from the other room. Without hesitation, I ran toward the hallway. Screw getting caught. I wanted to put a hell's amount of distance between the sorceress and myself.

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A/N: Please review!


	11. Consternation

A/N: Wow, imagine my surprise when I check FFnet this evening in order to post a new chapter in order to find a very long and lovely review! Thank you SO much Reshma! I'm glad you're liking the story so far, and hope you continue to enjoy it. Honestly, your review made my day, and motivated me to keep working on next chapters, so thanks so much for the kick I needed!

Also, thank you to Risika Kiisu Fenrir. I'm glad you're enjoying this!

I've been having a bit of a dry spell with this fic lately, and the biggest reason is the lackluster response I've been getting towards it. I hate that it's like this, but a lack of reviews make me think no one's reading, and thus demotivate me. So please review, it only takes a minute of your time, and is so valuable to us fanfiction writers.

And now that the shameless begging for reviews is over, on with the chapter! I hope you enjoy, as this is where everything gets a bit intense :)

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Blind adrenaline coursed through my veins as I turned around and ran the opposite way, tripping over stairs and fumbling over video equipment as I stumbled my way through the room that seemed to stretch on forever.

Only when I reached the hallway did I stop to breathe properly again.

_What the hell did she just do to me?_ I put my hands on my knees and heaved. I was vaguely aware of commotion happening in the speech room, but I knew I was out of sight of anyone who might be in there. The icy fear that had gripped my insides couldn't be shaken; I trembled as I straightened myself up and wrapped my arms around myself. _What now?_

I had to go back in there, where the sorceress stood behind that curtain_._ Was she the same woman? Were there more sorceresses than the one who had brought me here? My heart thumped uncomfortably and a dull throbbing started up in my temples. What had I gotten myself into?

"You've just signed Garden's death warrant," a strained voice, followed by a groan of pain.

"Shut your Goddamn mouth!" was that Seifer?

I backed up flat against the wall, wishing I could melt against it, as Seifer dragged the power suit man into the hallway.

Seifer had his giant sword-gun held up against the man's throat, and uncertain desperation was written all over his face. This was most likely the president. Would Seifer actually kill him?

A shudder snaked through my body, but as if automatically, I followed them back into the equipment room. If they distracted the sorceress, maybe I could get to her unnoticed. _And maybe during the commotion, the man can escape unharmed. _I bit my lower lip. I would have to tackle her down or something.

Seifer pulled the man up the steps onto the stage-like, curtained area, where I knew the sorceress was waiting. Surely she would hear the struggle?

I sneaked after them, trying to remain inconspicuous. The man now was trying to struggle wordlessly out of Seifer's grasp.

As I reached the shadows of the velvet curtain, a heady scent drifted through the room, as if someone was lighting incense. The air seemed to stagnate with a blunt, eerie chill that had nothing to do with faulty air conditioning.

Seifer and the man stopped struggling, and I could see Seifer's head whipping to and fro.

I gulped.

"Poor, poor boy." The silvery voice seeped out and sent a shiver down my spine.

The sorceress glided out from behind the curtains. I instinctively shifted further out of her line of sight, but it seemed she only had eyes for Seifer.

For a few seconds, Seifer and the president seemed frozen. Seifer's grip on his sword loosened, but the president seemed too dazed to escape.

The sorceress stepped forward.

"Stay away from me!" Seifer screamed and tightened his grip. The tremble in his voice betrayed that he was scared shitless.

The sorceress sneered and sauntered closer. "Such a confused little boy," she taunted, "Are you going to step forward, retreat? You have to decide."

I stared at her. Her complete attention was on Seifer now; she didn't seem to care at all about the president who had a giant knife to his throat.

I gulped and tiptoed closer, vaguely aware of the _click click _of footsteps in the background. I tried to stay inconspicuous, but the next moment her eyes traveled over to my trembling form, and she let out a dry, hollow laugh. I froze, gaping at her as she threw one arm in the air.

A flash of white! All my senses became incapacitated. My ears rang with a deafening silence. Vision was nothing but an encompassing white light, and I couldn't make a sound as my body became numb. _What the hell is going on?_

As soon as it had started, everything ended. I stood up, _how did I even get on the floor?_ and looked around. Quistis stood on the other end of the room, seeming as dazed as I felt, and behind her were Squall, Zell, and Selphie.

_Wait a minute!_ "Where did she go?" I screamed, and before waiting for an answer, I tumbled towards the curtains once more. I frantically pushed aside the velvet drapes, trying in vain to find the woman who had seemingly disappeared. Behind the curtains was the rest of the stage, which was filled with dark shapes.

The sounds of footsteps were heard, and I roughly turned around, but it was only a girl I didn't recognize. She looked around the room, her brows furrowed. "Where's Seifer?" I heard her ask, but I had already turned back to the curtains. They couldn't have gone very far.

I slid between two curtains, squinting my eyes to see through the darkness. It smelled musty, like dust had been settling here for ages, and I let out a cough. _Where the hell did she go?_

"Ahh!" I jumped as a hand came to rest on my shoulder.

"Izzy, what are you doing?"

I turned around, my heart thumping in my chest, to face Quistis. Her eyes were narrowed in confusion.

"Did you see where she went?" I asked her.

"Who? That woman? Seifer's disappeared too." She whipped her head around the dark room. "I don't think he's here," she whispered more to herself than me.

"Not Seifer! The sorceress!"

Quistis suddenly took a step back, gaping at me like I had just said something shocking.

I opened my mouth to elaborate, but the next moment Squall poked his head inside the curtain. "What are you doing?" he asked.

I growled and shoved my way around Quistis and Squall. Didn't they understand that we were in an urgent situation? I strode through the room and down into the hallway, feeling at least three pairs of eyes on me. I didn't care. I had to find her. She was my only hope of getting home, and there was no way in hell that I was going to miss my chance.

"Izzy, what are you doing?" Rough hands grabbed my arm and spun me around. "Who did you see?"

"The sorceress! How did you miss her? She came out of the curtains over there," I pointed to the precise spot on the stage, "and then she was talking to Seifer."

"What were you doing there?" this time it was Squall. He watched me suspiciously. I looked behind him at Zell and Selphie, both with identical confused looks on their faces. Beside them stood a black-haired girl, but she didn't look confused at all.

"Wait," said Quistis. She put a hand to her chin and scrunched her face, "I saw her too. It makes sense, she was the new ambassador about to be announced. But-" she shook her head gently, as if trying to clear her thoughts.

"She did something so you wouldn't be able to move, or hear, or talk, right?" I watched Quistis as her expression went from scrunched to understanding.

"Yes." Quistis put a hand on her mouth. "Did she take Seifer with her?"

I shrugged.

"Where did she go?" Selphie asked.

I shook my head. "All I know is that she's the only one who can send me back home."

All eyes turned to me and I froze. _Shit…_

"What are you talking about Izzy?" Quistis voiced the question that was written on everyone's face.

I sighed, and decided that I would have to tell the truth. "I'm not-"

But I was cut off by a loud banging noise coming from the other room. Faint voices could be heard, followed by footsteps.

"We need to get the hell out of here!" Zell suddenly hollered, and he led the way out through the debris of lighting equipment and burst through the door, the two girls and Squall at his tow.

I hesitated, wanting desperately to search the other room, but Quistis grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the hallway. I tried to wrench free of her vice-like grip, but she was stronger than she looked, and successfully dragged me through the metal door.

"Quistis, you don't understand!" I yanked my arm out of her grip.

She whipped around. Her eyes burned with rage and I shrank under her fiery gaze. "No, Izzy! _You _don't understand!" She took a deep breath before continuing, "Those Galbadian soldiers are after SeeD! Seifer threatened the president of Galbadia, and who the hell do you think is going to pay for it?"

I stared at her blankly. What the hell did I care what Seifer did?

"I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I suggest you start acting like you belong in SeeD." She said the last part in a calm voice, but a voice that was filled with venom.

I let out the breath I had been holding. "Listen to me, Quistis. I'm not-"

"Hey! What are you guys waiting for?"

I turned sharply at the sound of Selphie's voice. She stood on the other end of the walkway, gesturing wildly for us to follow her.

"We'll continue this later," spat Quistis, before promptly turning around and running off down the walkway. I followed her silently, half feeling like a chastised kid, and partly feeling angry because the tongue-lashing wasn't directed at me. My stomach clenched, but I had to get this over with. I needed to find the sorceress, and if I had to be alone to do it, then fine. I shuddered suddenly. Could I handle being alone?

We reached the bottom of the stairs, where stood a metal fence that I now noticed blocked off the TV station area from the rest of the town. Quistis and I joined the rest of the group, and I noticed the black-haired girl was standing there looking rather depressed.

"What's wrong?" Quistis asked.

The girl clutched a lock of her dark hair, like she was trying not to burst into tears. "They found our base," she choked out, "it's completely destroyed."

"What about everyone else?" asked Selphie.

The girl turned to her, "They're fine. They're good at escaping." She smiled sadly, and then turned around and walked out through the gate. I saw the four SeeDs share a look as they followed the girl out. _What the?_

I nudged Zell, who was walking the closest to me, and asked, "What's going on? Who is that girl?"

Without answering, he turned to me and I noticed his eyes were blank. His face was drained of colour and he was slouching. He looked awful.

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer, but just stared at me blankly, as if he hadn't comprehended my words.

"We have to stay away from Timber for a while." I looked ahead to see that the group had stopped walking. The black-haired girl was watching Squall expectantly, and she continued, "Is there a safe place you can take me?"

Squall didn't answer. His back was towards me, and I couldn't see the expression on his face.

"This is an order," the girl gritted, "an order from your client, remember?" It looked like she wanted to say more, but she just watched Squall expectantly.

Squall shuffled his feet before he muttered, "Alright."

The girl's face lit up and she broke into a smile. She nodded before turning around once more and walking down the street. Squall and Quistis were the first to follow her.

I fell into step beside Selphie. "Who is that girl?" I asked her.

She turned to me, looking slightly surprised. "Oh! That's Rinoa. She's our client from the Timber mission."

I nodded. "Okay, but what did she mean her base was destroyed?"

"She's part of a Timber resistance faction, and now that the Galbadian soldiers are after all of us…" she shuddered, and didn't finish the sentence.

I nodded. "Got it." I could piece together what was happening here. I remembered Zell talking about Galbadia on the ship after the SeeD exam, and how it had been in a constant state of war between other countries. It only made sense that the government would face resistance. Now that I thought about it, the name Timber had been mentioned when the group had talked about how far Galbadian influences reached. I had only partly been paying attention then, but now everything felt so much more real that I was involved in it. This world didn't seem so different from Earth after all. There was corruption in positions of power, just as there was corruption in government and world leaders back home. And it seemed so much worse here because sorceress were able to hold these positions of power, and I had first-hand experienced how evil the sorceress was.

I suddenly shuddered, feeling dread crawl up my body. Where could the sorceress be now? I'd been so close… but she hadn't seemed to recognize me at all. Actually, she didn't recognize Izzy. So did that mean that she wasn't aware that I was here? Why had she even been after me in the first place? Was this even the same sorceress that sent me here? She looked a little different, but how many other sorceresses could there be?

_And what about that creepy dream/memory about the night of the accident? _I felt cold all of a sudden and wrapped my arms around myself. Had it really been a memory, or just a figment of my imagination? Why would she kill Noah if she were after me? I blinked several times to stop the flow of tears that threatened my eyes. Had she been after the both of us? A fresh wave of shivers overtook my body. I stopped walking and shut my eyes. I didn't want to believe it. All these years that I blamed myself for Noah's death, _and now I get a vision of someone killing him?_ I didn't know what to believe.

I sighed and shook my head. So many questions without answers… and the only one who could provide the answers was a dangerous, power-crazy woman who I had no idea where to find. I looked at the rest of the group, who it now seemed was following a woman in brown clothes. Zell looked at his feet as he walked, his shoulders slouched. Selphie had a determined look on her face, but other than that she seemed normal. The rest of the group walked ahead of us, but by the silence I figured they were also lost in thought. We followed the woman through the bar, which by this time was emptying, and made our way out into the empty, sunlit street. In silence, we ascended the stairs and followed the woman down the street to the town square.

We stopped in front of a narrow building with a wooden door. The woman we had been following stepped up to the door, unlocked it, and turned to give the rest of us a smile before disappearing inside.

"This is it," said Rinoa, before she too walked inside. We quietly followed them into the house, which was a two-story, cramped apartment with a main room that served as a kitchen as well as a living room. Everyone picked a corner to stand, but I stayed near the front door, trying to keep my mind off how crowded it was.

"I'll let you know if anything changes," said the portly woman standing by the kitchen sink. "'Till then, make yourselves at home." She smiled at all of us in turn before walking towards me. I stepped out of her way so she could leave the apartment.

"Thanks, chief," said Rinoa to the woman's departing back.

Squall turned to Rinoa. "Chief?" he asked.

Rinoa nodded. "She's the leader of the 'Forest Fox'" she answered, a slight grin on her face. "Almost everyone's a resistance member in this town." She chuckled dryly, as if at a private joke. "We're the only ones who are really active right now though." She sighed and leaned on the kitchen counter.

The room went silent all of a sudden. _So Quistis said that Galbadian soldiers were after us._ Was the sorceress teamed up with Galbadia or something?

_**'The President wanted to announce the Sorceress as an ambassador,' **_Ifrit informed.

_'Really?'_

_**'Yes, at least someone was paying attention while you were off endangering Izzy's life,' **_he felt the need to add.

_'An ambassador? For what?'_

_**'Of peace.'**_

Ifrit didn't elaborate. _Of peace? Seriously?_ Who would put a freaking evil magic lady in a position of power? More importantly, people didn't even know that sorceresses could travel across different worlds. How could they trust her like that?

_But was she truly there?_ I recalled the way her body rippled and wavered, as if she was a ghost or something. Something didn't add up. Why use so much energy to come after me? I mean, sure my dad always used to tell me I was special, but I was just a regular person, and I couldn't begin to imagine why a sorceress from another world would be after me. Goodness, before this, I hadn't even known that other worlds even existed.

Sighing from exhaustion, I absently watched Squall going around the room talking to everyone in turn. Selphie said something about wanting to go home, while Zell just slouched by a corner on the other end of the room, and as Squall said his name, he showed no sign of a response.

_I wonder what's up with him._ I hadn't imagined him being the quiet type; he was usually bumbling with energy. I snuck a look at Quistis, and noticed she was watching me with narrowed eyes. I could see the question forming in her face, but she remained quiet. Well, unless she brought it up, I wouldn't say anything.

I strode over to sit on one of the chairs by the circular dining table. What would I do now? _Should I keep pretending to be Izzy? __I could always go back to Balamb Garden._ My stomach rumbled. I had to somehow get away from everyone. But then what? Bid farewell and go look for the sorceress on my own?

"Dammit!" I banged my fist on the table in frustration. My neck prickled as all eyes turned to me, but I ignored them. _Jeez, I've never felt so helpless._

"I still don't get it," Selphie's voice suddenly broke the awkwardness. She turned around from her spot by the window. "What did Seifer come here for?"

"Didn't he-" I started.

"I think-" Rinoa said at the same time. She looked at me in surprise and I immediately shut up. "I think he came to help us, the 'Forest Owls,'" she continued, still watching me from the corner of her eye.

I nodded, but didn't say anything else. It had seemed to me that Seifer really wanted to show that he was more capable of helping the resistance than Squall, Zell, and Selphie, but what did I know?

Rinoa continued, "I talked about it a lot with him." She looked down on the floor, her face falling. "So please don't think too badly of him," she whispered.

We all stared at Rinoa. The guy had killed a soldier and tried to kill the president of Galbadia, and she was asking us not to think badly of him? I opened my mouth to retort, but the next second, someone rapped on the door.

"Anybody in here?" a gruff, muffled voice called in, followed by another rap on the door.

"What is this?" called a woman's voice; the same one who Rinoa had called Chief. The door rattled a little. "I have small children in here! Don't do anything to frighten them!"

I turned to Rinoa in fear, but she was watching Squall. The soldier banged once more on the door, and I could hear the chief yelling at him some more.

The woman we had followed to this house came bounding down the stairs. "Upstairs! Hurry!" she exclaimed.

I pushed myself out of the chair and was the first to follow Quistis up the narrow, wooden stairs. We piled into the single bedroom that was the second floor of the apartment. Zell immediately went to the corner and sat down, his face pale and eyes downcast. I tore my gaze away from him and plopped myself by the window.

"He was so angry when he found out it was only the three of you dispatched to Timber," Quistis began. She had her arms crossed and her eyes were slightly glazed. She went on, but I tuned her out and sunk into the windowsill.

What now? I couldn't go around pretending to be someone I wasn't, and I couldn't possibly stay here. So what would I do? I sighed and rubbed my temples. _Goodness, my head hurts._ I would go back to Garden. I nodded. Yes, that seemed like the best thing to do.

_**'You can't do that Natasha,'**_

I yelped and jumped at Siren's sudden voice.

'_Where have you been? And why not?'_

_**'Natasha,' **_she sounded exasperated. _**'Think smartly. You're Izzy right now, and you can't just go waltzing into Garden after leaving without permission.'**_

My stomach rumbled. She was right, of course. _'So what the hell am I supposed to do?'_

No response. I shook my head of the anger that was bubbling inside, and tried to pay attention to the other's conversation.

"What's going to happen to Seifer?" Quistis whispered.

I stared at her. She genuinely looked scared, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were friends.

Squall sighed, claiming the attention of everyone in the room. "He may already be dead," he said blankly.

"How can you be so casual?" Rinoa snapped, getting up off the floor. "I feel… sorry for him."

Squall turned away from Rinoa, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"What's so funny? You're terrible!" she screamed, distressed. Shaking her head, she asked, "Why do you think he's dead?"

"The President of Galbadia and the sorceress joined forces," Squall stated, "Seifer attacked the president. It's no surprise that he may have been killed because of it."

I stared from him to Rinoa, who was on the verge of tears. She stepped up to Squall, glaring without blinking. "Even so!" she exclaimed. "I still hope he's alive!" She stared at Squall, but he just turned away from her. I was shocked to see a smirk playing on his lips.

_Seifer may be an impulsive asshole, but I don't think he deserves to be killed._

"As long as you don't get your hopes up, you can take anything," muttered Squall from behind his back. "You feel less pain." He abruptly turned around to face Rinoa and shook his head. "Anyway, whatever wish you have is none of my business."

_What the hell is he on about?_

Something in my mind suddenly clicked into place. Wasn't Rinoa Seifer's girlfriend? And she'd been dancing with Squall at the SeeD party? _No wonder she's so upset about Seifer._

There was a terse silence, during which Rinoa studied Squall, looking absolutely horrified. "You're mean…" she whispered.

I watched Squall blankly, trying to figure out what he was thinking. His face held a stoic expression, but I could see a glimmer of something else in his eyes, and the next moment he apologized to Rinoa.

The room once again fell into silence. My neck was prickling, and I looked up to see Quistis watching me through narrow eyes, as if suspicious.

"You've been awfully quiet, Izzy." she said the name somewhat sarcastically.

I gulped and opened my mouth to give some half-assed excuse, but the next moment, heavy footsteps were heard, and the chief lady climbed up the stairs.

"The Galbadian forces are withdrawing," she sounded slightly out of breath. "Only the soldiers normally stationed here will stick around If you're gonna leave town, now's your chance!"

"I need an explanation from you," Quistis hissed at me before Squall ushered us all downstairs. We followed the woman down into the living room/kitchen area, where we quietly piled in.

_Aw crap, she's suspicious. _I chewed my lower lip. I couldn't possibly tell them I wasn't Izzy. _Not right now, anyway. _I would have to pretend to be Izzy a while longer, only until we weren't on the run anymore.

"Well, getting out of here is only the first step," Quistis said. She looked at Squall expectantly, and I turned my attention on him too.

Squall crossed his arms at his chest and furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" he asked Quistis.

She sighed, exasperated. "Garden Code. Article 8, line 7," she coaxed.

Squall's face suddenly lit up in realization. He nodded. "Head for the nearest Garden…"

"Very good!" Quistis grinned. "From here, that would be Galbadia Garden."

_Wait a minute. Isn't Galbadia the bad guy?_

"We can take a train from here and get off at East Academy station," Rinoa explained.

Quistis nodded. "From there, we have to go through a forest to get to Galbadia Garden." She looked around the group. "I've been there several times. We should be ok." She smiled, catching the looks on our faces.

"Ok, then, let's go!" Squall declared, but before he turned around, the chief stopped him.

"Wait, take these." She deposited a small bag into Squall's hands. I could hear bottles clinking.

Squall nodded at the woman, thanked her, and promptly walked out the door. _Geez, it wouldn't kill him to smile._ We followed him out of the apartment and piled into the street. Squall stopped and turned around to face the group.

"So we take the train to East Academy Station, and then walk through the forest to get to Galbadia Garden."

Squall led the way down the street the way we had come. Other than an old man facing the arched gateway of the train station, there was no one around. I watched him warily as he abruptly turned around, and startled upon seeing Rinoa.

"Rinoa! Squall! It's me!" he waved and ran over to us, pretty fast for an old, hunched man.

I watched Rinoa as she scrutinized him for a second before breaking out into a smile. "Zone!" she exclaimed.

I watched the others group around the man, confused as to what was going on. Weren't we supposed to get on the train? "Um, guys?" I asked.

Rinoa turned to me. "Oh! This is my friend Zone, part of The Timber Owls," she mouthed.

_Oh, that makes sense._ I looked closer at the man and realized that there was something odd about the way he walked. Then I realized that he must only be disguised as an old man.

Zone nodded at me before turning back to Rinoa. "You need to go to East Academy right? There's no more tickets left."

"Major bummer!" huffed Selphie.

Squall put a hand on his hip. "We'll do whatever it takes to get on that train."

"So… we're going to sneak on board?" I asked.

Zone smiled and shook his head. "You won't have to do that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I have everyone's tickets right here!" He waved the envelope around proudly. He walked over to Rinoa and handed her a piece of paper from the envelope. "One for you."

Rinoa accepted the ticket with a smile.

"Three for you SeeD people," he walked over to Squall and handed him the envelope. "Here, I'll give them to the leader." Suddenly, his face fell as he looked at Quistis and me.

"The last two were for Watts, and me, but…" he walked over and handed me one ticket, and shoved the other one in Quistis's hand.

I shook my head, and Quistis said, "I can't take that, it's yours!"

Zone shoved his hands in his pockets. "Just get going! The train's leaving!" He waved his hands in the air dismissively.

"Thanks, Zone," I said.

"Yes. Thank you," whispered Quistis.

Sure enough, the sound of an engine could be heard, along with a boarding call.

"Zone!" Rinoa cried. She ran over to him and hugged him, whispering something we couldn't hear.

"We should go!" Squall ushered us through the arch and into the train station.

My thoughts drifted to Nida as I waited with the others to board the train. Guilt gnawed at my stomach, because he'd done so much to help me, and I'd completely walked out on him. I sighed. What could I possibly do about that now?

My neck prickled and I looked up to find Quistis scrutinizing me with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. Her gaze didn't falter when I looked at her, and eventually I looked away out of discomfort. I would have to give her a proper answer for my behaviour earlier.

We stood around the platform for what felt like ages when finally the train door hissed open.

'Stay alert'

As soon as I boarded the train compartment, a pair of hands shoved me against the opposite wall and promptly turned me around.

"Okay, Izzy, I'm gonna ask you only once. What do you know about the sorceress?"

I tried to readjust myself, but Quistis had a strong hold on my shoulders and I was forced to look nowhere else but at her.

"What?"

She shoved. "I know you know something."

"Quistis!"

She ignored Selphie and continued to glare at me.

I shook my head. "About what?"

"The sorceress!" she nearly growled.

_What?_ "I don't know what you're talking about!" I'd never been a good liar.

"Quistis!" Squall's voice reverberated across the compartment and Quistis's hold on my shoulders loosened before she let go.

Her glare didn't falter.

I straightened myself up as best I could with my body trembling like I'd been dumped with a bucket of cold water.

"You'd better start talking," she whispered.

Squall stepped up next to Quistis and stared at her like he'd never seen her before.

I took a deep breath as my heartbeat returned to normal.

_What the hell am I supposed to say?_

'_**Tell her,' **_Siren's voice was reassuring.

I gulped, and met Quistis's narrowed eyes. "I'm not lying, I don't know anything about the sorceress."

"Then what did you come here for?" she asked.

"I uh.."

"Why did you follow us, Izzy?" Quistis snapped.

"I'm not Izzy!" I blurted, and immediately covered my mouth, as if the words could just be swallowed down. I looked around the compartment. Rinoa and Selphie had identical wide-eyed expressions, while Zell looked mildly thoughtful. Squall frowned at me with a hand scratching his chin, and Quistis continued to glare.

"What?" Quistis spoke up.

My stomach curled uncomfortably. I took a deep breath. "Look, I'll tell you everything, and I might need your help for a little while. It's all gonna sound totally effing crazy, but I promise I'm telling you the truth, and everything I know. The reason I followed you is because I need to find the sorceress. She's the only-"

"Only one who can send you back home, you said that," Quistis interrupted. "What does that mean?"

I nodded. "I'm getting to that." I pulled on a lock of blond hair and leaned back into the train wall. "I don't know exactly what happened, but somehow the sorceress brought me here, to this world. I-"

"To this world?" asked Rinoa.

I turned to her and realized that everyone was looking at me, either confused or suspicious. I gulped, uncomfortable with all the attention.

Nodding, I continued, "That's where it gets really messed up, because where I'm from, there's no magic or monsters that we can call who live in our heads or Garden or any of that."

"Where you're from? Izzy, what are you talking about?"

I shook my head and turned to Selphie. "I told you, I'm not Izzy," I paused to choose my words carefully. "I know I look like her. The sorceress somehow brought me here, into this body."

"So you're saying the sorceress can body-switch people?" Quistis asked incredulously.

I turned back to her, "Yes. I know it sounds insane."

"Impossible," Squall spoke up.

"That's what Nida first thought," I mumbled.

"Nida? The new SeeD who graduated with us?" Selphie asked.

I nodded and bit my lower lip. _Why did I bring him into this?_

"Who else knows about this?" Quistis asked. She looked so unfriendly that I felt anything I would say could provoke her to assault me again.

"No one, just Nida, and I convinced him not to tell anyone else. He tried to help, mainly because he wanted to find a way to get Izzy back."

"This is insane," Squall muttered. "We don't have time for this," he told Quistis.

Quistis glanced at Squall, but her attention was on me. She looked at me with scrunched eyebrows for several uncomfortable minutes, minutes during which I couldn't speak.

_Me and my stupid big mouth. _

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

I released a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "My name's Natasha, and until about three days ago, I didn't know about any of this."

"Where's Izzy?"

A flash of anger passed through me. Why the hell was her tone so accusing?

"Look, I know how crazy this is, but I'm not the one responsible for this. All I know is that the sorceress caused me to crash my car, and then tried to did some weird ass magic. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was in this world and looked like this." I sighed again, having said all of this very fast.

Quistis' expression softened somewhat, and I chanced a look at the others. Selphie no longer looked confused, but watched me with an expression of empathy. She'd taken Squall's place next to Quistis; Squall having moved to the far corner of the train compartment, now looking totally uninterested in the conversation. Zell watched me curiously, as if he expected me to jump up and say "Just kidding!"

Rinoa was the first to speak up. "Can you-"

She was immediately drowned out by the piercing sound of the train horn. She jumped a little as the train's engine roared to life, soon replaced by the click-click of the wheels as the train rolled into a steady motion.

I watched her expectantly, and rather nervously, as she straightened herself up and cleared her throat.

"Do you remember what happened before you got here? Anything about how you got here?"

For a few seconds, I could just stare at her, because I hadn't been expecting that question.

"I-uh-hmm, I better start from the beginning," I started detailing how Rachael and I had seen the sorceress in our apartment, how she'd looked like a ghost or something. "But she disappeared, like, two seconds later." I explained, how later on, I'd swerved to avoid hitting her on the road. The memory was so fresh in my mind, but it felt so long ago that I'd told Trevor to call home, and locked the car on him. "The really weird thing is though, that she was see-through."

"See-through?" Selphie asked.

I turned to her. "Yeah, like a ghost or something, but anyway, she stepped up to me, didn't even say anything. She held my head, not hard or anything, just lightly, and I swear I felt like she was trying to suck my mind out or something freaky like that. Anyway, then I passed out and woke up here, well at the Dollet place, as Izzy."

There was a long, silent moment. I watched anxiously, as everyone let that information sink in. I'd never wanted it to come to this, to have to explain to so many people that I wasn't Izzy. Nida's lack of knowledge about other worlds and sorceress powers had taught me that I shouldn't go blabbing about a sorceress if I could help it.

I watched Quistis. She no longer looked suspicious. _At least that's a good sign._

"This makes no sense," Squall spoke up. He unfolded his arms and shook his head. "How can a sorceress travel across worlds?"

_How the hell would I know?_ I wanted to say. Instead, I said, "I don't know."

"What did she want with you?" Selphie spoke up.

"I don't know." I shook my head, feeling the hair flopping around. "All I know is that she somehow put me in this body, and that maybe Izzy's in my place back on Earth." I sighed dejectedly. "And she was right there. She didn't recognize me, no, Izzy. She didn't recognize Izzy."

"So she doesn't know what she did?" I whipped my head around to look at Zell. He was now leaning near the door to the other compartment, watching me with an expression I couldn't read.

"Nope. At least, I don't think so."

"Wait! What if she does know but doesn't care?" Selphie piped up.

I groaned loudly.

"That doesn't make sense though," Rinoa said. She stepped closer to me. "Think about it. Why go through all that just to bring you here? And then not even acknowledge it?"

"You have a point," Quistis answered, and nodded at Rinoa. I watched Rinoa give a small smile. Quistis turned to me. "I still don't get something." She stroked her chin and continued, "Why exactly would she go out into another world and seek someone out, then completely immerse herself in the government here?"

I stared at her, suddenly realizing something. "What if she's planning an attack?" The back of my neck prickled. I looked at everyone in turn. "Isn't Galbadia the superpower of this world or something?"

"Yeah," Zell said.

I nodded. "So what if she's trying to get power so she can come take over my world?" My eyes went wide and I started breathing hard. "Oh my God, what if she just wants to use me to do that?"

"Izzy…"

I looked up at Quistis and shook my head. "My name's Natasha."

She nodded. "I was going to say, that if she doesn't know that she switched you, maybe she's still looking for you."

I nodded at her, relief flooding through me like warm water. "She probably is, and that's why I need to find her first."

"What will you do? What's your plan of action?" Squall asked.

My heart sank. _What IS my plan of action?_ I didn't exactly have one except, 'find sorceress, have her send me home.' But I was kidding myself if I thought it'd be that easy.

"Iz- Natasha," Quistis whispered.

The sound of my name spoken so nicely nearly brought me to tears. I nodded at Quistis.

She bit her lip for a second, all malice gone from her expression. "You said you needed our help for a bit?"

I swallowed, then nodded. "Well, it's not really for me. I just don't think Izzy should be alone when we do get switched back. She'll need someone familiar around her, someone who can get her away from the sorceress."

Silence, once more, claimed the train compartment. Selphie was nodding at me, but she was the only one showing any sort of positive response.

Rinoa broke the terse silence. "I think I know how you can get switched back, Natasha."

I whipped my head towards her so fast, my neck cracked. "Really? How?"

She grinned. "I've read a thing or two about how sorceresses posses people. What you described sounded a lot like that."

"But obviously she couldn't, and when she wanted to come back here, to this world, she brought me along."

"Switching two people's bodies though, I never even heard of a sorceress doin' that," Zell said.

I turned to him, surprised. "Yeah, there's nothing in any library books about that. I don't think switching me with Izzy was part of her plan."

"No," Quistis shook her head, "but it's pretty obvious what you have to do."

I nodded. "Find her, and let her try to posses me?"

She nodded. "She's the new ambassador for Galbadia, I'm sure there's something being planned right now in Deling City to commemorate that."

A nod went through the group, except Squall.

Quistis stepped closer. "Look, we don't know what's going to happen with SeeD or Garden right now. It's all so volatile, but when we get to Galbadia Garden, you have to keep acting like Izzy," she narrowed her eyebrows sternly.

I nodded. "I can do that."

"Right," she continued. "As soon as things settle down, you'll have to go to Deling City." She looked around at the group, her gaze lingering on Squall for a few seconds longer, before she turned back to me. "I'll come with you, we'll get the switch done, and I'll bring Izzy back to Balamb Garden."

I nodded, feeling like I could breathe openly again. There was a plan, a pretty good plan, and I wouldn't have to go alone. "Thank you, Quistis," I said sincerely.

And for once since we'd gotten to Timber, Quistis smiled. She nodded and turned around to talk to Squall, who still looked skeptical.

Selphie and Rinoa disappeared through the door to the next compartment without another word, and Zell seemed like he wanted to be alone.

I leaned further against the wall, letting the relief bubble fill me up. For the first time since I'd been here, I felt a sliver of hope.

* * *

A/N: OOO making Natasha suffer hehehe. I really like portraying this tough, take-no-shit side of Quistis. I think in the game, her character could have been developed so much more, and I want to portray her as a stronger person than the game did.

Back to Natasha though. Yes, she has to work hard to get the characters to trust her and be friendly towards her. Ya can't have everything handed to you, right? And also, she's a little confused about who the sorceress is, because obviously Edea and Ultimecia look different. But hope's a funny thing, and Natasha is pretty desperate.

As always, please review to let me know what you think!


	12. Learn by doing

A/N: Wow, it's been a very long time since I updated. I suck at updating, I know. But recently, there have been crazy changes happening in my life, giving me no time to work on this fic or any other piece of writing for that matter. But fear not! I haven't given up on this and do plan on seeing it through to the end!

So, some questions that were raised:

Dudemeister: Thanks for your comment. I'm glad you liked the tough Quistis. About the updating, I'll try to be quicker is all I can promise right now!

Reshma: hahaha yes OC's shouldn't be treated like royalty, especially since they're attention hoarders in a canon universe. Ahh, that sounds so mean, but I mean that in the nicest way possible. I can assure you though that Natasha is not going to have it easy. At least until she's back in her element, all safe and sound and whatnot. Also, about the relationship thing. You've brought up an interesting point, and I'm curious: how come you were leaning towards a Natasha/Squall thing?

I don't want to give anything away about relationships, so you'll just have to keep reading :) Thanks for your support and kind words! Mean Quistis definitely rocks! (and is fun to write hehe)

And everyone else who's been reading, reviewing, alerting, and favouriting this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your support means so much, and is what keeps me writing more and more.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

* * *

~Izzy~

"Come again?"

Izzy rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Like I said, one of the soldiers stabbed a dagger in my chest and ran off."

Trevor sat down on the four-poster bed, looking as if he'd just run into a brick wall. He shook his head and looked at Izzy, pale-faced. "So you're saying you died?"

"Do I look dead to you?" Izzy snapped, then immediately apologized, "It's just frustrating to not know anything about why I'm here and how I'm supposed to get back," she said in a softer voice.

Trevor nodded and grinned sympathetically, brushing disheveled curls out of his dark blue eyes. "I just wish I could figure out what Natasha had been trying to tell me that night."

"You said she wasn't acting like herself, like she'd been taken over by someone else."

Trevor nodded absently-mindedly, "That's what we all thought, but…" he trailed off, and was immediately interrupted by a shrill tempo of upbeat music.

_'My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like, it's better than yours. Damn right! It's-'_

Izzy reached the cell phone before Trevor, and out of instinct, flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Hello?" she called.

"Natasha! Hi! Oh my God, how are you? I just heard about the accident, are you okay?" said a breathless, high-pitched voice very fast.

"Uhh-"

"Natasha?"

Not knowing what else to do, Izzy thrust the phone into Trevor's outstretched hands.

Trevor looked at the call display, sighed, and hesitantly brought the phone to his ear. "Hey Rachael… yeah, she's okay," he gave Izzy a discomforting glance that Izzy couldn't quite read. "Hold on, she can't talk right now…Yeah, there was, but we're okay… hmm, the car had to get written off. I know… look, Rachael, I'll give you all the details in a sec, I need to ask you something." at this he turned away from Izzy, and whispered, "was Natasha acting weird that day? Yes, the day of the accident," he lowered his voice further, "did she…mention anything, or did anything happen?"

There was a long silence, during which Izzy moved next to Trevor in order to listen.

"What?" Trevor yelled.

Izzy jump a bit, but she could now hear the voice on the other end.

_"That's what we saw, Trevor, we couldn't make sense of it, and later when she went to pick you up, she was all quiet, but she did mention something about…"_

"What?" Trevor insisted.

_"About N-Noah. She wouldn't tell me what that weird ghost thing had to do with Noah, but she mentioned there was a connection."_

Trevor turned to Izzy and started at her for a few seconds.

_"Trevor?"_

"Yeah, I'm still here. Rachael, Natasha's not okay."

_"What? What happened? I'm coming down there!"_

"No, don't. She's not injured or anything. We're gonna come visit you, it's hard to explain on the phone."

_"What do you mean?"_

"You'll see. Are you at your apartment? Can we come over?"

There was a pause, during which Izzy could hear the girl whispering in the background. Finally, _"Yeah, that's fine. There better be a good explanation for all this mystery."_

Trevor openly cringed as Rachael hung up. "Nice to talk to you too," he muttered before he stood up and turned to Izzy.

"Where are we going?" Izzy asked.

"To the apartment. I'll explain in the car," he said, and without another word, walked out.

Izzy sighed and followed him, thoroughly confused about the urgency. "Wait!" she cried as Trevor lumbered down the stairs. "Trevor!"

"Hmm?"

"What the hell?" Izzy grabbed his arm as Trevor reached for the front door.

Trevor wrenched his arm free and opened the door. "Just trust me, okay?" and with a pleading look at Izzy, walked out.

Izzy bit her lip and followed him into his car.

"Okay, explain," she demanded as she snapped the seatbelt.

Trevor nodded, started the car, and they drove off.

**~Natasha~**

_'Light up, light up, as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear. Slower, slower, and we'll run for our lives. I ca-'_

_'**Will you stop with that song!' **_

'_Why?'_

'_**Siren's a blubbering mess.'**_

'_**It's. Just. So. Sad!' **_Siren screeched between sobs.

'_Oh no. Sorry, it was in my head.'_

'_**Unfortunately, so am I,' **_Ifrit muttered.

'_**What's that supposed to mean?'**_

Ifrit growled in retaliation, and the two started bickering. I tuned them out and tried to find another distraction. In truth, singing in my head had been the only distraction from the awkwardness in the train compartment. Well, I was awkward anyway, feeling like pig in a chicken coup, in a completely different farm.

'_**A pig in a what?' **_Ifrit asked, momentarily distracted from the fight.

I shrugged. _'I don't know, something like that.'_

'_**Why would you feel like a pig, Natasha?' **_Siren asked in a gentle, motherly voice that suggested I was insane.

_'Whatever! The point is I feel out of place.'_ How people dealt with twenty-four-hour commentary on their every thought was beyond me.

I shook my head and focused on the scenery instead. Stone cliffs in the distance claimed the dry, dusty land for as long as I could see. Patches of greenery were dotted here and there, as if some Godly artist had flung drops of emerald paint on a beige canvas. We'd been on the train for about an hour now, the most silent hour of my life if I didn't count Siren and Ifrit's occasional chatter. After Timber, there had been no other towns or cities visible through the small train compartment window. It seemed as if Galbadia was nearly as desolate as I'd read about Esthar being.

The thought of Esthar and desolation reminded me of Nida. I chewed on my lip and wondered how he was doing. If only I had a cell phone or something.

'**You have your SeeD Identification device, Natasha,' **reminded Siren.

_Of course! 'Thanks, Siren.'_ Was I a forgetful moron or what? I immediately searched through Izzy's shoulder bag and pulled out the black SeeD PDA thing. It vibrated furiously as I pressed the power button, and my stomach sank to see several unread notifications. I gulped and tentatively clicked on the first one: an email from Garden Faculty.

'June 20, 0930 hours: SeeD Izzy Kou.

Status: Missing from Garden, location unknown.

Immediately report your current status and location to Balamb Garden faculty. Suspension pending upon return.

-Garden Faculty'

_Oh crap! _I'd never even stopped to think about the consequences Izzy would have to face because of my actions. I bit my lip nervously, wondering whether I should reply to the email. What if I made things worse by reporting my location to the Garden faculty? Would they come get me from Galbadia Garden? _Maybe I shouldn't go to Galbadia Garden after all._ But then what?

I sighed and closed the email. The next one was from Nida.

'Where are you? I've looked everywhere! Why didn't you wait outside the classroom like I asked? Email me ASAP!'

Nida's email worried me more than the faculty one. The next two were from Nida as well, asking me where I was and hoping I hadn't left Garden. I decided it wouldn't hurt to let him know where I was and why I'd left. _And besides, _I reasoned, _I owe him that much._ I gulped and pushed the reply button.

'I heard…' _should I tell him it was Seifer? _I shook my head and continued, 'someone mention the sorceress and followed them to Timber. She was there, Nida. I met her, but she disappeared. I'm on my way to Galbadia Garden with Squall (that guy with the gunblade thing who graduated with us) and his SeeD squad that was sent on a mission. I'm gonna go look for her in Deling city with Quistis. They all know who I am.'

I bit my lip and considered. _I should thank him._

'Thank you so much for your help, Nida. I appreciate everything you taught me. Sorry for running out on you like this, but I promise that the next time you see Izzy, it'll actually be Izzy.'

_There. _I pushed the send button, wondering if I'd be able to keep that promise. I definitely intended on it.

_Bzzt bzzt. _The device vibrated as a new notification popped up. It was another email from the Garden Faculty:

'June 20, 1604 hours: SeeD Izzy Kou.

Location: Timber. Status: En route to Galbadia Garden with Timber SeeD squad and SeeD Quistis Trepe, as reported by squad leader Squall Leonhart. Confirm location and status to Garden faculty immediately.

- Garden faculty'

As reported by Squall? I looked at him across the train compartment. He leaned stiffly, arms crossed, on the wall next to the compartment door. When had he reported to garden faculty, I wondered, before or after finding out I wasn't Izzy? It was most likely just protocol for him... his duty to report whatever happened on any mission he was on. Even as I told myself this, I couldn't shake this gut wrenching feeling that had accumulated in my chest. Was Squall trying to hand me over to Garden? I couldn't be sure.

I replied to the email, confirming that I was with Squall's squad and on the way to Galbadia Garden. I figured it would do more damage to not report to the Garden faculty. It was a mercenary school, would I be considered a fugitive if I just ran away? I had no freaking clue and I wasn't about to take chances like that.

"Do you even have a weapon?"

_What the eff?_ Jolted out of my thoughts, I looked up from the screen to see Squall facing me, and if he hadn't been looking at me expectantly, I wouldn't have realized that he'd directed the question at me.

"Uh, what?"

"You need a weapon. There are monsters outside and you can't just stand around because they will kill you." His baritone was condescending and I felt like jumping out of the window.

I mean, I knew about the monsters and all, but really, how difficult would it be to just run away from one? "Um, I can punch really hard?" I answered lamely.

Squall pursed his lips as if I'd said the most distasteful thing.

"Natasha," Quistis called kindly. She walked up to Squall and me. "Have you tried using Izzy's pinwheel?"

I shook my head. "I've never seen it."

"What happened to it?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed.

I shrugged. "As I said, I've never seen it."

"You lost it." Squall stated.

"No," I grit my teeth, "It wasn't anywhere near me when I woke up." I turned back to Quistis, "It must have gotten lost during the exam."

She crossed her arms and scratched at her chin. "What kinds of weapons can you use?"

"Do my fists count?"

There was a dense silence.

"I also have this." I searched through Izzy's bag until I found the bundle of cloth napkins that contained the dagger I'd taken from the SeeD exam. "It's not as impressive as a sword, but it's something." I unwrapped the dagger, feeling rather proud of myself for securing it in the first place.

For a few seconds, everyone stared silently until Quistis decided to break the silence with, "Where did you get _that_?"

"Um, well, when I woke up as Izzy, this was lodged in my-her chest." When she raised her eyebrows, I hastily added, "It's okay though! Nida cured me right after, and the wound healed up and everything."

"Can you defend yourself with just that? A dagger's not a good weapon if you're not experienced in combat."

_Says you._

She continued, "Do you have a GF and any stocked magic?"

"Yes, and no. I have Siren and Ifrit, but, um, haven't had the chance to get any magic." The last part was a blatant lie. Nida had tried to teach me how to draw from a draw point in the Garden lobby. 'Concentrate on the cure spells entering your mind,' he'd said, but no matter how hard I'd tried to concentrate, I hadn't been able to draw a single spell.

Quistis' eyes narrowed thoughtfully and she scratched at her chin. "I'm not sure if you'll even be able to draw and use magic. It takes weeks or even months to draw and cast magic spells successfully, depending on the potency of the magic and your previous experience with magic." Ice blue eyes scrutinized me for a few seconds. "Have you summoned Siren or Ifrit?"

I nodded. "Only Siren, but both of them talk to me, like, all the time."

Before Quistis could reply, a hiss was heard as Rinoa entered the train compartment. The open door allowed Selphie's voice to carry over where we all stood.

'_Train, train, take us away…'_ she sang. I also caught something about 'the future' before the door slid close behind Rinoa.

"Is she always that… charismatic?" Rinoa asked Squall, a polite smile straining her face.

Squall shrugged. "She's usually pretty upbeat," he deadpanned.

_Geez, does the guy have no sense of humour?_

_**Siren giggled, 'I think his good looks make up for that.'**_

'_I don't know, is hotness worth putting up with a permanent stick up his ass?'_

Siren giggled again, but thankfully didn't say anything about Squall's rippling muscles, or flowing brown hair, or deep blue eyes, or…_ Eww, what am I thinking? _I shook my head vigorously to shake the thoughts.

'_**Sorry, that was my fault,' **_Siren whispered sheepishly.

"Anyway," I said to Quistis, who was still standing in front of me, "what were you going to say just now?"

Quistis nodded. "I was going to say that you're going to need a little practice drawing magic and summoning your-I mean Izzy's GFs. Do you have any combat experience?"

I shook my head, "Are you talking about real fights? 'Cus I'm not the violent type, but I used to take martial arts lessons when I was a kid."

"Really?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "So you have do know how to defend yourself. That's good."

I grinned and nodded, but secretly hoped she wouldn't be testing me on that. My shoulders hadn't forgotten how strong her grip could be.

"Zell's a martial artist, the best on campus actually. Maybe you could ask him for pointers."

I nodded and turned to Zell. His head was hung and he slouched, looking about ten years old. He hadn't said a word during the entire train ride, and it was probably a bad idea to make him tell me about martial arts when he was clearly not feeling all that great. I turned back to Quistis. "Um, maybe later."

Quistis nodded, but sent Zell a concerned gaze.

A deafening _beep _filled the compartment, along with the announcement of 'East Academy Station.' Sure enough, the train considerably slowed down, and, with a rumble followed by a screech, we came to a complete stop.

"Well, we're here," said Quistis. She walked over to the door, which opened with a hiss, but before stepping further, she turned around. "Squall, can you get Selphie?"

Squall nodded and disappeared through the compartment door.

"Aww! The ride's over already?" Selphie whined as she came bounding back into the compartment, with an annoyed looking Squall at her tow.

"Yup," Rinoa said, "we should get going." She gave Squall a look before she turned around.

I was instantly bombarded with the dry, musty smell of settled dust as I stepped off the train after Zell. The station was nothing more than a single platform with a slab of drywall that hung over it as shade. Beside the platform sat a dirt-covered bench with a ticket booth next to it. There were no other people around, and as we stepped out of the shade, the train behind us departed with a whistle.

"Now where, Instruc- Quistis?" Squall asked.

I turned to Quistis expectantly. She held a hand on her forehead to block the sunlight and looked off into the distance. I followed her gaze. The place was pretty much deserted, and for miles, there seemed to be nothing but a dirt plain and an odd tree here and there. I put a hand on my forehead and squinted. Stone cliffs and sandy desert claimed the land for as long as I could see. In the distance, I spotted a smudge of green that I supposed was a forest.

"That's the forest we have to cross," said Quistis. She pointed towards the forest and turned to us. "Well, let's go."

We walked away from the platform and crossed a bridge that hung over a narrow, bubbling river. The forest was just beyond the river. It sat beautifully within two flat-topped, sandy cliffs. I wondered how long of a walk this would be. The sun was a bright yellow ball in the cloudless, azure sky. I sighed and wiped the sweat that had beaded on my forehead. _Goodness it's hot._

"I wonder what Galbadia Garden is like," said Selphie.

I felt slightly envious to note that she was wearing a bright yellow sleeveless mini-dress, and it looked incredibly airy. I had grabbed the only pair of full-length jeans Izzy owned, and now the numerous skirts in her closet were looking very appealing. I shrugged. _Can't do anything about that now._

"It's very different than Balamb Garden; the students more disciplined," Quistis informed Selphie. They were walking next to me, with Squall and Rinoa leading us.

Rinoa seemed to be trying to get Squall to converse with her, but was failing miserably, getting only one word or grunts in response.

Other than that, everyone walked in silence. It didn't take Selphie long though, and she started humming the same song she'd been singing on the train.

I slowed my pace to let the others walk a few steps ahead of me. Beads of sweat were traveling down my back, and I could feel my shirt beginning to stick to my back. I fanned myself with my hand, not that it did any good. _How much longer!_ All I could think about to keep from completely losing it was a nice bath and a heaping bowl of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. My stomach rumbled. _Why the hell did I eat everything I packed yesterday?_

I sighed and opened Izzy's bag to search for any leftover snacks, but when I reached inside, something vibrated. I grabbed the SeeD device and opened the notification to see Nida had sent me another email:

'Why didn't you tell me right away? I would have come with you. You told everyone who you are? Why are you going to Galbadia Garden?

I have to go on a mission next week, but keep me updated. I'll-"

"Ahh!"

The device fell to the floor as something sharp grazed my shoulder. The stench came next, like rotting fruit and garbage, as if I'd been shoved into a dumpster.

_Bzzt bzzt_.

'_**It's coming closer!'**_ Siren warned as the buzzing grew louder.

I whipped around and ducked just as a blur of white and purple came flying towards me. Heart racing, I straightened up to face a deformed-looking…thing. It looked like a pterodactyl skeleton, and smelled like a corpse too, all dead and rotting. Two sets of shimmering violet wings overlapped each other on the beast's back, appearing hazy in the sunlight. For a few moments, I could only stare at the purple blur as zoomed closer.

Searing pain erupted on my arm as the creature dived and took a huge bite out of it. I sucked in air through my teeth as the area started to bleed. With a growl, I looked up at the creature. It was diving at me again, but this time I caught it off guard, and hurled myself at it. I shoved its skinny body, and it screeched as it tried to regain flight. But before it could, I shoved it on the ground and pinned it under my feet. It struggled to get free, but I kicked it and strengthened my hold. My heart was hammering against my ribcage, and my legs shook as I pinned it down harder. The creature shrieked, a sound like knives rubbing against each other.

'_Siren! What do I do?'_

'_**It's carrying a lot of magic. You'll have to draw.'**_

My legs trembled and I kicked at the monster. _'I can't!'_

'_**Yes you can, Natasha. Focus. Imagine that you're pulling energy from the Thrustaevis.'**_

I could feel every drop of blood mingling with sweat and running down my arm. Trembles wracked my body and my breaths came out in quick pants. The monster struggled under my feet, but I didn't let go.

'_Siren!'_

'_**Try it, Natasha. You can do it,'**_ she coaxed.

I took a shaky breath and stared the creature right in its bulbous, milky eyes. _Energy_, _energy. You have magic inside you, you ugly bastard. _I pictured myself reaching into the creature's head and pulling out whatever spells lurked in the depths.

_There it is._ A sudden connection between us made the thrustaevis docile. I stopped shaking, because all of a sudden I could _see_ the spells. Orbs of light popped out of its head and hung in the air between us, slowly zooming towards me. _Blizzard,_ something told me, and the next second, my body absorbed the magic orbs like a sponge. I buckled, overcome with a burst of power that told me I'd just acquired something magical.

A hiss was the only warning I had before a set of claws tore a hole through a layer of denim and skin. Fire hot pain claimed my calf and my hold on the creature loosened.

It dived away and once more tried to regain flight. I swiped at it, but it was too quick and leapt into the air, flapping its two sets of wings frantically.

The smell coming off of it was terrible, but I once again hurled myself at it. I threw a punch, but it easily dodged it and floated away. I could see my footprint on its chest as it came closer and tried to bite me again. I ducked as it swooped down again, but the creature head-butted me.

Pain shot through my skull, and before I knew what had happened, the world around me became fuzzy. My head spun. I tried to keep my balance. Something sharp scratched my back and I fell to the floor.

The tingly taste of mint lingered in my mouth as I awoke. Stars jumped around in my vision and faded to show Quistis's face looking down on me. I groaned and attempted to sit up, but my head spun and I nearly plopped on the ground again. I managed to prop up on my elbows and give Quistis what I hoped was a questioning look.

"Hold on, let me heal you," she said as she administered a cure spell.

When the blue haze subsided and the strength returned in my body, I got up from the floor and brushed myself off. "What happened?"

Quistis pointed at Zell, who was bent over a purple and reddish mass, which looked suspiciously like a dead thrustaevis. Squall and Selphie stood close by, cleaning their weapons. Rinoa was opening a bright blue bottle, probably a Potion.

"He saw you trying to fight with a thrustaevis, and got it before it could peck you to death."

I used all the wit of my vocabulary and said, "Oh."

Zell removed his hand from the carcass and pocketed something he must have found.

I returned my gaze to Quistis. "Um, it totally came out of nowhere."

She nodded. "A couple of them attacked us too. But Natasha," she narrowed her eyes, "what were you doing separating yourself from the group? That's the best way to get caught off guard by a high-level monster."

My stomach sank a bit. "Um, sorry, I was checking my-uh-Izzy's emails and I can't walk and text at the same time without getting nauseous…" I trailed off, ashamed at my stupidity. No wonder Nida had stopped me from leaving Garden on my own. I'd completely underestimated the monster population.

'_**And overestimated your ability.'**_ Ifrit added. I had no comeback to that because he was right.

"Well, here's the SID." Quistis handed me the SeeD device.

I thanked her and slipped it in Izzy's bag.

She nodded and gave a hint of a grin. "We're almost at the forest," she pointed about twenty or so feet in front of us, to the trail that led into the trees between two cliffs. "Let's go."

Quistis led the way while the rest of us followed along.

"Hey Zell!" I poked him in the back.

He turned to me and smiled in a strained, rather forced way.

_That's hardly encouraging._ "Um, thanks for getting that thing away from me."

He nodded. "You mean the thrustaevis? If I hadn't caught it, it would have bit you to death."

A shudder overcame me. _Man, these people are so casual when they talk about dying._ "Yeah, well, thanks for NOT letting it kill me."

He smiled again, and this time it looked genuine. "You need some combat training if you're gonna be a SeeD."

Here was my chance. "About that…"

"Hurry it up, guys!" Quistis called. "We're nearly there."

Zell and I hurried the pace and continued on in silence.

_I wonder how long it will be before we can go to Deling City._ Quistis had been vague, saying that we'd be able to go 'as soon as we could.' I hadn't questioned it then, but how long was soon? My stomach rumbled. And how did I even know that Izzy and I would be switched back. _What if she's not even alive?_ I shuddered suddenly, remembering how I had to pull out a blade from Izzy's chest. Here were these people, possibly risking themselves to help me get back home, and I wasn't even sure that they would get Izzy back.

_But you can't tell them that she might be dead. _I felt my heart sinking. What if I told them and they wouldn't help me? I felt horrible, but I didn't have a choice.

'_**You always have a choice, mortal,' **_Ifrit's voice suddenly made me jump.

'_But how can I tell them? What if it totally ruins my chances?'_ I whined.

'_**It's something you have to decide, Natasha,' **_Siren said calmly.

I groaned. I hated making decisions like these. I shook my head. No, I couldn't tell them. _I'm terrible._

'_**I don't think she's dead,' **_Ifrit said nonchalantly.

'_How do you know?'_

He sighed, a sound like car tires rumbling on rocks. _**'When a human dies, the connection we have with them is severed,' **_he explained.

'_And?' _

'_**And I still feel a connection to Izzy,' **_he said softly, but with a finality I had come to expect.

I grabbed a lock of my hair and tugged on it. _'I really hope you're right. Not for myself, but for Izzy's sake.'_ I sincerely wanted her to be able to come back to her life. As Nida had said, she'd been thrust into another world too, and not for the first time, I wondered what she was doing and if she was okay.

"Natasha! Hurry it up!" Quistis called, and motioned for me to walk faster. I hastened my pace and fell into step beside her.

We were now at the edge of the forest, and I watched Squall and Zell step on the dirt path that seemed to cleave the mass of trees. I followed the group inside the shrubbery, feeling as if we had stepped into another world. Sunlight filtered through the trees in rays that illuminated the ground in different patterns. Birds chirped happily and flitted through the trees, causing leaves to flutter and mingle with birdsongs. I breathed in the wood and oak scent, letting it wash over me.

We soon came to a clearing within the trees, where everyone decided to rest up for a while.

"We're not far from Galbadia Garden," said Quistis as she leaned over a tree stump. She folded her arms over her chest and closed her eyes for a few seconds. I looked around the group. Everyone looked pretty tired and dirty. Squall stood rigidly on the path, watching everyone like I was. I turned to Rinoa, who stood at the opposite side of the clearing, her back to us. She was lost in thought, I supposed. Zell stood just at the edge of the pathway, looking as exhausted as I felt.

"Hey!" Selphie shouted. We all turned to face her and she continued, "I was just thinking, there might be some bad news from the Galbadian government." She fidgeted and looked at the floor. "What if we get caught and then get broadcast to the whole world?"

I watched her intently. I'd been so wrapped up in my own crap that I completely hadn't thought of what everyone else had been worried about. Seifer had attacked a president and somehow SeeD was being blamed for it.

Zell groaned. "Whatever happens happens!" he blurted, then shook his head and whispered, "I'm worried about Garden. If anything happens, it's my fault!" He slumped dejectedly. "I was the one who said we were all from Garden…"

When no one said anything, Zell continued, "you think the president will retaliate?" he stepped up to Squall and watched him expectantly.

"Maybe," Squall answered, his voice betraying no emotion.

Zell groaned. "Figures…" he whispered. He grabbed Squall around the shoulders and screamed, "But we have a whole bunch of SeeDs at Garden!" He shook Squall violently. "They wouldn't lose to the Galbadian Army, would they?" His voice was desperate.

Squall shook him off as one would bat away an annoying fly, and answered in a cold, emotionless voice, "depends on how strong the army is."

Why was he not worried?

Zell grabbed his stomach and groaned again. I wanted to say something to him. He looked terrible, his face pale and sweaty.

Rinoa was the first to react. She let out a haughty snort, whipped around and glared at Squall with enough force to melt a rock, but it had to effect on Squall. "Oh, you're just a great leader, aren't you?" she snapped and stomped up to Squall. She let out a dry, humourless laugh. "Do you actually have fun acting so callous towards your comrades?" she spat. She was shaking with anger and her eyes narrowed when Squall didn't answer.

I pulled Zell away from them, not wanting him to get caught up in the fight that was sure to break out. He gave me a questioning glance, and I whispered, "You don't want to be in the middle of their fight."

He nodded and stepped next to me.

Rinoa continued in a hate-filled voice, "Zell wants your support." She sent a furtive glance at Zell, then turned to glare at Squall again and put her hands on her hips. "Any kind of encouragement will make…" she trailed off.

I watched Squall, not knowing what to think. I mean, Rinoa kind of had a point, but I didn't think it was any of Rinoa's business to taunt him like that.

Squall had a determined, guarded expression on his face, and his mouth was set in a straight line. Didn't he have anything to say to Rinoa's accusations?

Rinoa broke the terse silence again, "Don't you ever worry or think about the well-being of your comrades?" she asked shrilly.

I looked at Squall again. He grimaced, and his eyes fluttered. _What the_?

"Don't you understand?" Rinoa screeched.

There was definitely something wrong with Squall. His legs buckled, but he managed to remain upright. It seemed like keeping his eyes open was a mission, and his face was paling by the second.

"Squall!" Rinoa screamed. "Are you listening?"

Squall suddenly groaned and clutched a hand to his forehead. His legs finally gave out, and he tumbled slowly to the ground.

Before I could react, another groan from next to me diverted my attention.

"Quistis!" yelled Zell, as Quistis too, buckled and fell face-down to the floor.

I leaned down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder, but another thud from behind me caused me to whip my head towards Selphie. She too had fallen to the floor in a bright yellow heap.

I sent Zell a worried look, but he looked okay. He actually grinned, and said "I think they went to the… 'dream world'" he stood up and walked over to examine Selphie.

I stood up roughly and faced him. "What are we supposed to do?" I screamed. Why was he so nonchalant? Three people had just passed out!"

"Zell…" Rinoa said. She was on her knees beside Squall, looking worried.

Zell leaned against a tree and crossed his arms against his chest. "Don't worry, this has happened before. We just wait for them to wake up."

I watched Rinoa stand up, and after sending Squall an apprehensive look, she walked over to stand next to Zell. "How long till they wake up?" she asked.

Zell shrugged. "It depends on what Laguna and the gang are up to this time." He waved a hand in the air nonchalantly. "Just relax. They'll be up soon enough."

"Um…shouldn't we wake them up or something?" I whispered.

"Are you crazy? There's nothing we can do. Besides, it'll be good to know how Ward's doing. I've been wondering for a while."

"Okay…" I had no clue what Zell was on about, and I wasn't gonna ask him either. I walked over to sit on the stump Quistis had vacated. I sighed. "So aside from everything else, you guys have creepy dream worlds that make people randomly pass out. How wonderful." I muttered under my breath. _Just when I was starting to get over the weirdness, it gets even weirder._

* * *

_A/N: __BTW, I forgot to mention earlier, but the song Natasha, er, sings in her head at the beginning is "Run" by Snow Patrol. Yes, it's a sad song, but she wasn't feeling particularly sad. It just happened to be in her head at the moment. And if I got the lyrics wrong, sorry! I didn't look up lyrics and just wrote what I thought the song goes like. _

_And though I can't promise frequent updates, I can promise that the next chapter will be up next week, due to the fact that it's about halfway written already!_

_Thanks for reading, ya'll! *throws candy*_

_REVIEW! :D_


	13. Revelations

*Hides behind table* I know I know. I promised that this chapter would be up within a week. And now, almost 3 months later... I've re-written this chapter 3 times now. Three! And still I'm not 100% satisfied. I wanted to add another 'Natasha' part, but ah well, it'll be in the next chapter. I might as well tell you guys why my updates are super slow. I'm getting married in 2 months, and have been INSANELY busy with preperations! But fear not! I've not given up on this. Luckily, my fiance is pretty supportive of my fanfiction writing hehe. Anyway, enjoy the chapter guys! Thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting, and alerting! A special thanks to Reshma :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Click-click, click-click, click-click, boing!_

"Whoops." I bent down to retrieve Izzy's fuzzy pink pen off the ground. Sighing, I adjusted my weight for about the hundredth time. Across the dirt path, Zell and Rinoa talked in hushed tones. Well, Rinoa talked while Zell mostly looked at his shoes. If these were normal circumstances, I would march right up to them and join their conversation in order to not be left out. But these were not normal circumstances, and as much as I would have liked, I didn't belong here. So I went back to scribbling in Izzy's diary.

"I wonder if one can simply drop dead out of boredom." I wrote. Well, my thoughts weren't always winners. I sighed. _Man, do I miss home. _My stomach clenched suddenly. I really missed my parents, even if they could be overbearingly protective. Hell, I even missed their ten-million-times-a-day questions of 'Are you okay?' and 'what are you doing?'

I shrugged and sat up straighter, and then shut the diary and shoved it and the pen inside Izzy's bag. About ten minutes had passed since the three SeeDs had fallen asleep.

A light breeze danced around the clearing, sending the smell of tree sap floating around. The atmosphere may have been calming if it weren't for the limp forms of Squall, Selphie, and Quistis. I leaned back into the tree-stump and stretched my legs. _I almost wish I'd passed out too._

'_**Natasha!' **_Siren chastised.

'_I said almost…'_

I shook my head and sat up straighter, and my eyes fell on Quistis. She lay facedown in the dirt on the side of the road._ That can't be comfortable._

"Shouldn't we at least move them?" I yelled out.

Zell and Rinoa turned around in surprise.

"Did you say something, Natasha?" Zell called.

I leaned on the ground next to Quistis. "I said we should move them into more comfortable positions." I knew I would hate to wake up with my face pressed into the cold, dirty ground. I placed a nimble hand on Quistis's shoulder. She was rigid, and only her back rising and falling rhythmically showed that she was deeply sleeping. I put one arm around her shoulder, and the other around her waist and slowly started to turn her around. She wasn't particularly heavy, and in a matter of seconds, I had her rolled on her back. I brushed her dirt-covered hair out of her face and fixed her glasses. Next, I shifted her head so that instead of lying on the dirty path, it rested on a patch of grass.

_There._ It wasn't a bed or anything, but it was better than having her face in the dirt.

I stood up and instantly noticed Rinoa struggling with Squall. I rushed over to help as she unclasped Squall's gunblade from his back and dragged it away from him.

"He's so much heavier than he looks," she huffed as the two of us managed to secure Squall so he was lying in a semi-comfortable position on his back.

I nodded at her. _Well, he is a soldier-in-training._

Across the clearing, Zell was now moving Selphie in a seated position by a nearby tree.

"I wonder how long it'll be till they wake up," said Rinoa.

I shrugged and leaned back on my hands. "What do you think will happen once we get to Galbadia Garden?"

She bit her bottom lip. "I don't know…" she trailed off, a far-away look in her eyes. She didn't say anything for a few seconds.

I sighed, "I hope we won't be in trouble. I never knew Seifer would turn into such a psycho."

Rinoa narrowed her eyebrows and opened her mouth.

_Oh crap. _"Sorry," I cut in, "I know you guys are…" I trailed off, avoiding Rinoa's glare.

She nodded. "I just," she sighed, "I wish I hadn't talked about the Forest Owls with him. Maybe he wouldn't have attacked the president-"

"Are you serious?" I sat up straighter and faced her. "I think he would have attacked the president regardless."

"How would you know that?" she retorted, her usual smiling face turning mean. "It's not like you know him."

I studied her carefully. She had a point, but Seifer had made his intentions pretty clear. "You're right," I said.

Rinoa's expression softened somewhat.

"But it's not hard to figure out what Seifer's intentions were," I added, "It seemed like he was just out to prove himself."

Rinoa scrutinized me carefully, hatred burning in her eyes.

_Oh geez._ I bit my lip uncomfortably. There were other things I could say about Seifer's rashness, but Rinoa was partly right, I didn't know him at all. Who was I to judge his behaviour?

'One of these days, your mouth is going to get you into trouble,' Ifrit commented.

I agreed, but sometimes it was difficult to control the word vomit.

"Um, listen Rinoa. Look, I only just met the guy, but I'm sure he had a good reason for doing what he did."

She nodded. "He did. And you shouldn't go judging him. He's not a big selfish meanie like you're painting him out to be." With that she got up and walked away to the other side of the clearing.

I stared after her as guilt clawed up my back. Why did I have to go around spewing my opinion? I felt so insensitive. Seifer was Rinoa's boyfriend, wasn't he? She probably didn't want to believe that he was a bad guy. Besides, she was right. I didn't know Seifer, and who was I to say why Seifer had gone to Timber and attacked the president?

I sighed and got up. Zell was on the other end of the pathway, kicking and punching the air as if fighting an invisible enemy, probably a ghost.

_How long are these three gonna be out? _

The breeze became cooler, flitting through trees and blowing over the clearing in a welcome chill. I stared over at Zell, wanting to go ask him for fighting lessons. I thought better of it and instead went back to sit on the tree stump I'd vacated earlier. What if I alienated him too?

My gaze fell on Rinoa again. She had taken out a book from her bag and lay on the grass next to Selphie. Her light blue duster jacket fanned out around her, and I noticed that there was a picture of Angel wings embroidered on the back. I chewed on my lip. Sure what I'd said about Seifer was probably true, but I didn't have to be so insensitive to Rinoa.

_Blaine. _I wondered what he was up to. _Probably gallivanting with his new girlfriend. _I rolled my eyes. It was over between us, but I still missed him sometimes. I shook my head.

'_**No use thinking about that slimeball, Natasha!' **_cried Siren vehemently.

I giggled, _'Thanks Siren.'_

'_**Hmph! Men… Must they stick each finger in a different pot of honey?'**_

'_**Maybe if you women learned how to listen…'**_ Ifrit piped in.

Siren screeched, _**'Who asked you?'**_

I shook my head as the two started bickering again. Were GFs always like this?

Reaching in Izzy's bag, I pulled out the SID to check if there were any more emails. The email from Nida I'd been reading earlier was still open, and I remembered that I'd forgotten to read the whole thing.

'Why didn't you tell me right away? I would have come with you. You told everyone who you are? Why are you going to Galbadia Garden?

I have to go on a mission next week, but keep me updated. I'll keep making regular trips to the library and let you know if there's anything I can find.

Did you hear? Deling appointed the sorceress as an Ambassador of Peace for Galbadia. Don't do anything stupid, Natasha. Be careful and stay close to everyone. Keep me updated!'

He sounded like Trevor, telling me not to be stupid. Dread snaked over my body and caused my stomach to clench. What, I wondered, had he told my parents? He couldn't tell them about the sorceress. They wouldn't believe him in a million years. That was the problem with psychologists, they thought everything was a product of either an overactive imagination or some kind of mental disorder. _Still…_when would I be able to see them again?

~Izzy~

Trevor pulled his Tiburon into the run down parking lot of the student housing building.

"Wow, this is where you guys live?" Izzy commented incredulously as she shut the car door.

Trevor banged his door shut, momentarily distracting Izzy from her disdain of the student building.

"Yup, welcome to Paradise," he deadpanned as he led the way towards the double glass doors.

Izzy took in the sight. The building looked rather shabby. Vines grew on one side of the building, adding a little beauty to the drab grey and white exterior. Numerous balconies jutted out the front of the building, with rusty railings that looked as if they would break off any second. As they entered the deserted main lobby, the smell of drywall and fresh paint nearly caused Izzy to choke. Sure enough, a corner of the lobby was sectioned off with bright yellow tape and pylons. Izzy couldn't believe people lived like this. _Being a SeeD may be life-risking, but at least we have nice accommodation._

"Natasha!"

Izzy looked up the stairs to see a young man looking at her as he climbed down. He smiled in a rather forced way, and avoided meeting Izzy's curious gaze. "How-how are you?" he asked.

"Fine."

The boy shuffled his feet and stared at the floor.

Izzy turned to Trevor and raised an eyebrow.

"Blaine," Trevor said, nodding curtly. "What are you doing here?"

The boy named Blaine turned to Trevor and his mouth curved into a frown. "Hey, man. I was just visiting someone."

The two boys sized each other up for a few seconds, until Blaine turned to leave. "Nice seeing you, Natasha," he said as he hastily slipped out the door.

"What was that all about?" Izzy asked Trevor as the lobby door shut with a bang.

Trevor shook his head. "Never mind. Let's go see Rachael."

"Do you really think she can tell us about the sorceress?"

"I hope so. She seemed really reluctant to talk."

"She'd better talk," Izzy mumbled under her breath.

They soon reached the third floor, and as Trevor opened the door for Izzy, he told her not to give away that she wasn't Natasha. "Rachael wouldn't know how to react. Trust me, she can't keep a secret to save her life."

Izzy nodded. "I'm counting on her to give us information about the sorceress. Or at least tell us what happened. If we can figure out where this Rachael girl saw the sorceress first, maybe we can find her."

Trevor's sneakers squeaked loudly on the linoleum floor as Izzy followed him. The dim hallway seemed to stretch on, seeming rather gloomy, almost like a jail, Izzy thought.

They finally reached apartment 313's gray door, and Trevor knocked. The sound seemed to reverberate through the apartment until the door creaked open.

A pair of wide green eyes was all Izzy saw before the breath was knocked out of her. The slim blonde released Izzy and gazed at her with scrunched green eyes. "Natasha!" she practically screeched. "How are you?"

"Fine," Izzy answered monotonously, and wondered how many times she would have to answer a question this way.

Rachael grinned. "Oh my gosh! I'm so glad you're alright." She hugged Izzy again before shooing her inside the apartment. "Hey Trevor," she said hastily behind her shoulder.

After removing their shoes in the lobby, Izzy and Trevor sat down on the two-seater couch facing away from the window. Izzy looked around the cramped space as Rachael asked questions about the accident.

There was a kitchen tucked away into a corner, with a square window looking out into the living room. Behind her, Izzy noticed, there was a floor-to-ceiling window covered in heavy maroon curtains that were drawn, allowing sunlight to bathe the room in shades of tangerine. A hallway led off opposite the kitchen, presumably to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Natasha, are you okay?" Rachael gazed at Izzy with knitted eyebrows.

Izzy nodded. "Yup, I was just hoping you could tell us- I mean Trevor about what happened the day N-we got into the car accident."

Rachael wrapped her arms around herself, as if there was a draft blowing through the room. "You didn't tell him?" she asked hopefully.

"That's the thing, I can't remember anything that happened that day. its a giant blur," Izzy recited what Trevor had informed her to tell Rachael in the car.

"Oh my gosh, Natasha!" she gasped.

"That's what I meant on the phone when I said Natasha wasn't okay," Trevor added.

Rachael started at Natasha with a hand over her mouth. Her eyes watered, and Izzy hoped the girl wouldn't start crying.

"Natasha, I'm so sorry..." She leaned over and hugged Izzy tightly, a hug Izzy reluctantly returned.

"So, can you tell us what happened?" Izzy said hopefully.

Rachael fidgeted on the couch, causing it to creak and hiss. "It was probably nothing…"

"Listen, Rachael," Trevor whispered, "Iz- Natasha needs to be able to remember everything about that day. If there's any way you can help, we'd really appreciate it."

Izzy watched Rachael carefully, her heart pounding. She wanted to grab Rachael and shake the information out of her. What could be so horrible that she couldn't talk about?

Rachael stared at Trevor for a long moment, biting her lip, her eyes shifting between Trevor and Izzy. Finally, she let out a breath. "Okay, if it'll jog your memory of everything else, but you're not gonna like it, Natasha."

Izzy nodded, "Go on."

"We'd just finished class. Actually, we skipped out of Jerkass Jake's class," Rachael giggled, then shook her head. "Anyway, it was really foggy, and we were walking home. We took the main path from the Student Centre, you know, the one with all the pretty willow trees," she looked at Izzy expectantly.

Izzy nodded for her to continue.

"I saw movement in the trees, like someone had slipped behind a tree, someone who was watching us, it felt like." Rachael shuddered, "except when I went to look, it was this… lady."

"Lady?" Izzy repeated.

Rachael nodded, "Yeah, she was pretty frightening. But she disappeared."

"What did she look like?"

"She disappeared before I got a good look at her," Rachael lowered her gaze to her lap, where she wrung her hands.

"That's it? You never saw her again?" Izzy whispered, disappointed.

Rachael shook her head and met Izzy's gaze, her own revealing confusion. "Then, when you and I got in, she was there again. I was lying right there," she pointed to where Izzy sat, "and I felt this unnatural draft. And it totally wasn't a windy day. And there she was, the woman again. This time I got a good look at her." Rachael shuddered again.

"What?"

"I can't believe you don't remember…" she shook her head. "It was so bizarre. She looked like a witch, but she was translucent, like she was a ghost or something. She had this long red dress, and a hat or something on her head with these long horns on them. And-" Rachael's eyes were glazed over, "and she had a pair of black wings, which had to be real cus they moved. She started walking up to you, and you weren't moving, like you were under a trance or something. And she called herself a sorceress. Natasha, she must have been after you, cus she got super close to you and you didn't move, or do anything, or even hear me when I called your name!" Rachael took a deep breath. "But then I threw a cushion at her and she completely disappeared, just as she had in the pathway earlier. And Natasha," Rachael grabbed Izzy around the shoulders, "you were so nonchalant about it, like something like this happens everyday!"

_Sorceress? Which sorceress could this be? _Izzy thought back to her History lessons. The only sorceress shown in all the books was Adel. Could it be that Adel had somehow come back to power? Wasn't she restrained in outer space? _And how did she manage to come into another dimension and body-switch two people like this? _Izzy's head span as if she'd been hit with a potent Confuse spell.

"Natasha… are you remembering any of this?" Rachael asked hopefully.

"Did you ever see her again?" Izzy asked instead of answering.

Rachael shook her head. "But I haven't been back here since the end of term. Today's actually the first day I've been back, and even then I made sure B-Mike was with me."

"Where is he?" Trevor asked.

Rachael looked at Trevor nervously. "He-uh- had to go take care of something," she said hastily without meeting his eyes.

Izzy was lost in her thoughts. Even if the sorceress had been here, there wasn't a good chance she'd be coming back. _Unless she was after Natasha. _"Rachael."

"Y-yeah?"

"You said the sorceress was after Na- after me?"

"Oh. That's what it seemed like," she watched Izzy with a frown. "I don't know why though… do you know her?"

Izzy rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, we go way back."

Rachael frowned, seeming hurt with Izzy's snappy comment. Izzy grimaced apologetically. "Sorry, this is just really bizarre. I'm just trying to make sense of it, you know?"

Rachael nodded, and returned Izzy's grin. "I know. It must be difficult to not remember. Just like last time…" her expression darkened and she gazed at Izzy sadly.

Izzy nodded.

"You didn't see her again, did you?" Rachael asked with a shudder. "She was so scary!"

Izzy turned to Trevor, unsure of how much information she should give Rachael.

Trevor nodded slightly before turning back to Rachael. "We did. When we were driving home. It was around eight-ish, and raining heavily. We were on Lakeshore, crossing the Gardiner highway bridge. There weren't a lot of cars around, and Nata must have seen someone or something on the road, cus she swerved really sharply." Trevor shuddered from the memory, then continued, "She told me to call home, and right then I knew that something must be wrong with her, cus she got out of the car and locked the door. After calling and leaving a message at my dad's, I looked up to see that Natasha wasn't alone." He stared at Rachael. "It was that woman, the same one you're describing. She was… see-through. I could see her, but she kept glistening like she would disappear or something. I couldn't see what she was doing, so I got out of the car. There was this blinding white light, and when it went away, the woman was gone, and Natasha was passed out cold." He took a deep breath. Trevor's skin had gone pale, and his eyes wide, as if the memory was still very fresh in his mind.

"Natasha…" Rachael stared at Izzy open-mouthed, "You don't remember what happened at all?"

Izzy shook her head. Trevor hadn't gone into that much detail when he'd told Izzy about the event. It sounded downright creepy.

There was a long silence, during which Izzy tried to piece together what had happened. _So a sorceress came into this world, but she wasn't fully present. Only her spirit must have traveled. _Izzy wondered if that was even possible. She'd never read or heard of anything like this, and she worked at the Balamb Garden Library, so it was her job to know things a lot of students didn't. _Wait a second,_ Izzy thought, _What if this so-called sorceress isn't even from my world?_ Could it be that a sorceress from this world had somehow pulled Izzy's consciousness and placed it in another body? If that was the case, where exactly had Natasha's consciousness gone? Izzy hadn't even wondered where Natasha herself could be. _But it's possible, _Izzy told herself, _That Natasha's in my body in Gaia._ Izzy's head was muddled, all her thoughts mingling like meat in a stew.

"What could she want with you, Natasha?" Rachael whispered. She looked about ready to burst into tears again.

Izzy stared, thinking of her friends. Sally and Daniel from the Library committee. Zell Dincht, whom Izzy considered a good training partner.

_Nida…_ Izzy's heart sank. The last time she'd talked to him was during the SeeD exam, when he'd told her to go find Selphie Tilmitt. _I just had to yell at him, didn't I?_ Izzy rolled her eyes. What if she never saw him again? Fear clenched her throat so that it was suddenly difficult to breathe. What if Izzy was never able to get back, and would have to live as Natasha for the rest of her life? Izzy shook her head vigorously. _I have to find a way!_

Izzy felt someone watching her and looked up to see Trevor scrutinizing her.

"We should really get back, Izzy."

"Izzy?" Rachael asked. She smirked at Trevor, "That has to be the worst nickname I've heard you use on Nate. It sounds nothing like Natasha!"

Trevor chuckled nervously.

Ten minutes, and a couple of hugs from Rachael later, Izzy and Trevor buckled themselves up in Trevor's car.

"Do you think she told us everything?" Izzy immediately asked as Trevor started the car.

Trevor backed out of the parking lot, and turned into the main campus road. "I think so, but she seemed kinda strange."

"You mean the way she kept fidgeting and looking at her phone?"

Trevor nodded. "She's not usually like that. She wouldn't even look me in the eyes, and seemed really nervous for some reason."

"She's hiding something?" Izzy asked eagerly.

Trevor sighed. "I don't know. Maybe what happened just really scared her." He rubbed his forehead with his palm, and reached over to turn on the radio.

Izzy leaned back into her seat, her mind buzzing. "Hey," she bolted up so fast that the seatbelt dug into her shoulder. "Take me to where you and Natasha saw the sorceress last."

"Good idea," Trevor replied.

There was no sign that anything extraordinary had occurred at the bridge on top of the highway. Trevor pulled over to point out where the car had hit the bridge wall. Other than a slight dent in the metal railing, Izzy didn't see anything that would suggest something had even happened here.

"I don't think anyone saw us crash. It wasn't until after the woman had disappeared that a van drove by. The couple was really nice. They called 911 for us."

Izzy walked around the railing, as if something would pop out at her. She touched the metal surface and instantly retracted her hand. The metal was boiling hot, which wasn't surprising considering how sunny it was.

Izzy sighed and turned to Trevor. "I don't know what I expected to find here," she said with a shake of her head.

"I know," said Trevor softly. He sighed and motioned for Izzy to get back in the car. "This place brings too many ugly images."

About forty-five minutes later, Izzy and Trevor pulled into Natasha's parents' driveway. They walked up the cobblestone steps and Trevor turned to Izzy. "Just act normal," he instructed before opening the door.

Izzy rolled her eyes. Trevor always told her to 'act normal' whenever they were near Natasha's parents. The problem was, Izzy didn't know what 'normal' was for Natasha.

The house was rather quiet, even though Izzy had seen the silver BMW parked in the driveway. There were sounds coming from the den, and Izzy made her way through the hallway. Before she could reach the den, Trevor stopped her.

"What-"

He put a finger on his lips, and motioned for Izzy to listen.

She crept closer to the den, making sure she didn't cast a shadow on the wall in front of the doorway.

"…needs proper treatment. This can't continue, Aref. We can't keep pretending everything's fine." It sounded like Carol, Natasha's mom.

Izzy looked at Trevor, who was listening intently.

"What do you suggest? We're not giving our daughter drugs. Come on, Carol, we've always practiced psychotherapy."

"I know… but we've tried everything else. Natasha keeps getting worse. Is it fair to let her go on like this her whole life? First Noah, now this…"

Izzy heard a sharp intake of breath. "It wasn't her fault, Carol. You know that."

Izzy looked at Trevor, her face a mask of curiosity.

Trevor shook his head, and mouthed 'later.'

"I know!" Carol shouted vehemently. "I never blamed her. I just… worry about her. She-"

"Because she blames herself," Aref finished.

There was a long pause. Trevor tapped Izzy on the shoulder.

"Aref," Carol whispered.

Izzy inched closer to the door.

"Maybe – maybe it's time we told Natasha."

"What? That's-"

"I know we've talked about this, but she remembers nothing. Where she came from, how old she was, nothing."

"Carol," Aref said in a calm voice, as if talking to a child. "We can't tell Natasha she was adopted. She might regress. It'd be too traumatic for her."

Izzy whipped her neck towards Trevor and stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. Trevor looked like he'd been petrified. 'Adopted?' he mouthed.

A loud creaking sound sliced the thick silence, followed by soft footsteps. Izzy grabbed Trevor's arm and dragged him to the front door. They jumped outside, and Izzy quickly shut the door behind her.

"Natasha is adopted?" she asked.

Trevor stared at her, still looking shocked. "I… I never knew. That explains so much…"

Izzy opened her mouth, but the door swung open, nearly hitting her.

"Oh good, you're both back," Carol smiled widely at Izzy, a smile Izzy tried to return. "Good, we need to talk to the two of you." She led the way down the hallway and into the den. Izzy looked at Trevor helplessly. She really didn't want to have this conversation with Natasha's parents.


	14. Learning the hard way

Hell. There was no other explanation. I was in the darkest, hottest bowels of Hell. First came the stomach-clenching nausea, but before I could attend to that, my body doubled over as a burst of fire appeared out of nowhere and engulfed me in a wall of flames. Blisters erupted on my arms, and by the feel of it, my face. Mouth wrenched open, but only coughing came out as smoke billowed inside my throat.

It only must have lasted a second, but in my opinion, it was a second too long, and I tumbled to the ground.

I awoke God knows how long later to find a pair of striking blue eyes gazing at me.

"Okay, that wasn't too bad," Zell said as he offered his hand and pulled me to my feet. "You gotta learn to recognize when a monster is gonna use magic. That way you can be prepared."

Nothing registered other than 'that wasn't too bad.' _If that wasn't bad, what the hell is?_ I opened my mouth to deliver such a retort, but all that came out was a gurgling groan. _Attractive._ "I'm so nauseous," I managed to say without barfing all over Zell.

"You got poisoned. Hold on." He closed his eyes tightly in concentration, and extended a hand in my direction. When he opened his eyes, a small mist gathered in his palm and came floating towards me. The mist surrounded me in pale sparkles, and instantly the nausea disappeared. _Definitely works better than Pepto Bismol._

Zell grinned at me. "Better?"

I nodded. "Thanks." I looked around the small clearing. Behind Zell was a crumpled mass of red, blue, and white that was a mutated mushroom carcass. We were surrounded by trees so tall, they blocked out the sky. It was nice and private for a combat lesson, but the various fruits and vegetables invited monsters. Namely, the mutated mushroom Zell had called a Funguar or something. Did I regret working up the courage to ask Zell to teach me some fighting techniques? Yes, but only because he'd pushed me toward the monster (which had only been minding its own business) and told me to hit it so he could observe my form.

At first I'd just stood there, grimacing as the stench of fungus invaded my nostrils. I'd gagged a little, something the funguar noticed. It mewled, the sound like a cat in heat, and before I had a chance to react, it sent spells flying at me.

"Okay, maybe it wasn't a good idea to send you headfirst into a battle like that," Zell said serenely as he bent over the dead monster. He reached into what had been the creature's mouth, and pocketed whatever he'd found in there. He wiped his hand on the grass and stood up to face me.

"Why do you always take something from a monster's dead body?" I asked, trying to sound curious and not disgusted.

He smiled. "You can find rare items, something you can refine into spells or other, more useful items."

_Right._ No amount of 'precious items' would ever convince me to shove my hand into a dead anything.

"Alright, let's start over," said Zell. He rubbed his hands together and got into fighting stance. Feet apart, fists held out in front of him, ready to attack.

I had no clue why Zell thought I was even close to a good fighter. "Um, I wasn't very good at those martial arts classes I took way back when," I informed him.

"Tch! That doesn't matter! You gotta start somewhere." He narrowed his eyes and started hopping about, and I assumed that he meant for me to copy him.

I attempted to copy his stance, but probably didn't look nearly as serious as he did. "Now what, sensai?"

Zell narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Sensai? What's that?"

A giggle escaped me. "It means teacher in Japanese, and my brother and I used to call our martial arts instructor sensai."

The memory of the time Noah accidentally kicked our sensei in the crotch when he was ten returned to me. I shook it away before I could burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Hey, are you listening?" Zell snapped his fingers in front of my face.

I blinked. "Yeah, sorry, what were you saying?"

Zell shook his head. "I was telling you to set up." He gave me a reproachful expression, so different from his usual friendliness.

I cleared my throat. "Set up?"

"To attack. Come on, Nat, that's basic."

_Nat? Did he just give me a nickname? _"Right." I shuffled around a bit and again attempted to copy Zell's stance.

He nodded approvingly. "Good! Now the first thing you gotta figure out is who or what your opponent is. Focus on the target, and nothing else."

"Um, okay, but I don't have a target right now."

To my surprise, he grinned. "I'm your target."

"What?" When I'd asked Zell to teach me to fight, I'd assumed he'd just show me some techniques or something. "I can't fight you!"

"Tch! Why not? That's how you're gonna learn."

"I thought I would just, you know, watch you do some moves or something…"

Zell gave me a calculating look, as if he was seeing me for the first time. "Y'know, I keep forgetting you're not a SeeD."

_Did you also forget that I'm not Izzy? _

Zell kept scrutinizing me. "I guess it's hard to imagine you not being Izzy. I mean you still _look _like her."

I met his eyes. "So something like this has never happened before, huh?"

"Nope. Nothing I've heard of. I remember learning about sorceresses takin' over other people or passing on their powers and all that stuff in history class, but nothing like this." He absently started to rub his tattoo. "Hell, I would have never thought of other worlds existing if you weren't standin' right in front of me!"

"Tell me about it. It's freaky, I'm still entertaining the thought that I'm in a coma or something."

Zell frowned again. "What? And this is just your imagination?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, it could be."

'_**Is she saying we don't exist?'**_ Ifrit growled.

That sent me into a fit of giggles. "I'm joking, relax."

"Good. 'Cause I'm pretty sure I existed before I met you."

"But you would still say that if you were imaginary, you know."

Zell put a hand on his hip. "Hey, what if _you're_ a part of _my_ imagination?"

I burst out laughing. Then he laughed. We stared at each other. I looked away and cleared my throat.

_Meoeer! _Near the base of a tree were three of those mutated mushrooms, standing around and mewling at each other. These were a lot bigger than the one from earlier. I looked at Zell. "Wouldn't you say those monsters make better targets than you?"

"Yup." He started dragging me closer to the Funguars. "Don't worry, they're pretty weak. You just gotta watch them for magic. They'll glow a little when they're-"

"Eep!" I jumped back as a bolt of lightning nearly incinerated me. The patch of grass at my feet sizzeled as it got the brunt of the spell. One of the Funguars stood facing me with doe-like bulbous eyes. It emitted a mewling squeal and its mouth flapped open, as if someone had cleaved a hole from its head to the ground, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth.

I turned to Zell with disgust, but he was busy pummeling the other mushrooms to a bloody pulp. He executed a series of punches on one of them until it squealed and crumpled into itself. He sidestepped a thunder spell the second Funguar sent at him, and instead started stomping on the creature.

'_**Natasha!'**_ I heard Siren yell, but it was too late for me to react. A jolt of electricity shook my body and knocked my breath away. Trembling, I turned to the third Funguar. It yowled again as it bared its teeth. Feeling weak, I did the first thing that came to my mind and dove my foot into the fleshy part between its teeth. It squealed like a cat in heat as it recoiled somewhat. I kicked it again, harder than I had intended, and it went flying back.

I turned my attention back to Zell and my eyes popped. He was still stomping on the second Funguar, but there was definitely something wrong with him. He moved with inhuman speed and was vigorously kicking at the unmoving monster. I called his name, and he turned to me. His face was flushed and his eyes scarlet with rage, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"What else do I kill?" he growled as he looked around with his fists held out in front of him.

'_**He's under a Berserk spell.'**_ Ifrit told me calmly.

"What do I do?" I asked shrilly. Zell looked at me with bloodlust in his eyes and his chest heaved. I wanted to turn and run the other way, but I gulped and stepped closer to him.

'_**You don't have any Esunas! You have to draw some from him.'**_ Siren informed.

I watched Zell apprehensively as he started shaking violently, his face becoming redder by the second. I closed my eyes and focused my attention on drawing from Zell. _Esuna…_ I opened my eyes. _'Nothing's happening!'_

'_**You have to have physical contact.'**_

I rolled my eyes. _Now she tells me._ I stepped up to Zell and forcefully grabbed his arm. He glared at me with fiery eyes and tried to pull away, growling like a rabid dog. I tightened my grip. "I'm trying to help you," I gritted, and closed my eyes. _Esuna,_ I thought, and gasped as I felt a tug in my mind. This was different than drawing from a monster. It was as if I was inside Zell's mind. I could feel the rage he was feeling, and was momentarily stunned.

'_**Focus on the spell!'**_ Ifrit yelled.

I clamped my teeth and concentrated. I felt a pull from Zell's mind and opened my eyes as several little orbs of light detached themselves from him. They flew towards me, but there was also some wispy white stuff within them.

The orbs hit me and I was instantly sent into another world.

"I know! You're gonna take this stupid idiot back to garden, right?" He suddenly clamped a hand on his mouth, but the words had escaped. Zell heard Squall yelling, but a sense of dread suddenly incapacitated him. What had he done?

Gasping, I pushed Zell away and took a few deep breaths. _What the hell?_

'_**Natasha, focus! He's still under Berserk.'**_ Siren's voice snapped me out of my daze. I straightened myself up and looked at Zell. He was now trembling horribly and looked as if he would combust.

"Right." I closed my eyes and focused on the Esuna spells I had just drawn. I pictured a spell forming in my hand, and opened my eyes to see a ball of energy gathering in my palms. I aimed the light towards Zell and it hit him square in the face. For a few seconds, he just stood stock still as the bluish-pink light of Esuna sparkled around him. The light died down, and Zell blinked a few times before letting out a breath.

"Whoa! It berserked me!" he said as he walked towards me.

Grey spots danced around my vision and I doubled over and took a few shaky breaths. I could still feel an overhanging sense of dread that combined in an alien way with bloodlust, emotions that weren't mine.

"You okay?" He put a hand on my shoulder.

I straightened myself up and met his concerned gaze. "I was you." I blurted.

He scratched the back of his head and looked away. "Yeah, sometimes when your mind isn't completely focused on the magic, you can draw thoughts from other people's minds."

I nodded. "That's kind of freaky."

"Yeah."

I shook my head to clear it. It wasn't every day you were blasted into someone else's mind. It was disorienting. I cleared my throat. "And does it always feel this horrible?"

Zell shrugged. "Depends on what you see."

I gulped. Did I want to remind him of what he'd said? _Might as well_. I would want to know if someone experienced one of my memories. "I saw-"

"I know what you saw," he snapped, and then grimaced apologetically.

I stared at him, at a loss for words. No wonder he'd been so depressed in Timber. In the back of my mind, I could still feel his shame at having blurted something he shouldn't have. I watched him carefully as he avoided my gaze. "Zell…"

He cleared his throat loudly. "Hey, it happens. You had to get into my mind to draw the Esuna spells. It's fine." His voice was rushed and he shuffled his feet.

I nodded in understanding. It felt as if I had violated him or something. _In a way, I kind of did._ My stomach rumbled. His discomfort was getting to me.

_Meour!_ I abruptly turned around as another mewling squeal sliced the silence. Before I could so much as take a step toward the Funguar, it shot a spell at me.

I heard Zell call my name, but a thick black smoke had settled on my eyes. I batted wildly at the smoke and rubbed my eyes, but the smoke persisted in blinding me.

"I can't see!"

"Hold on, let me get…some eye…drrrrops," Zell started to slur mid-sentence. I heard him stumble a little.

"What's going- ahh!" Something hard smacked me across the face and stars erupted in my vision. Zell pushed me back and I tripped. "What are you doing?"

Zell slurred something, but I couldn't hear him. Instead, I heard the Funguar squealing as it shuffled around somewhere behind me. Zell jammed his fist into my stomach and all the breath from inside me escaped. I lumbered backwards, wildly flailing my arms behind me to hold on to something steady. Of course, it would have been helpful if I could _see_.

"Frick!" I tripped on a branch and fell backwards onto… something fleshy and soft! A crunch followed by a low squeal violated my hearing. I caught a whiff of rotting fruit and I could feel something beneath me tremble. "Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod!" I screamed wildly as I tried to stand up, but something that felt ominously like a shoe hit me in the shin.

"Dude, what the hell!" Enough was enough! I kicked one of my feet and it made contact with what was probably his stomach. I heard Zell groan, but kept flailing my feet at him.

Whatever spell he'd been under must have ended, and I heard him jump back.

I took a few shallow breaths, trying to still my hammering heart. In the calmest voice I could muster, I asked, "So are you back to your senses now?"

"Man! I never saw it coming! That thing totally confused me!"

Then I remembered I was lying on something that was definitely still alive. I could feel it squealing and shaking under me. My heart jumped to my throat and I scrambled to the side, feeling my shirt stick to my back with something thick and liquid. _This is going to haunt my dreams_. I bolted off the ground and vigorously started rubbing my back and arms. Suddenly, I felt something powerful surround me, and my body tingled as the black smoke started to dissipate. I looked down at the ground, where the Funguar stared at me with bulbous eyes, trying in vain to pull itself up. I screamed and kicked at it, right between the eyes. It let out a pathetic squeal, but I stomped on it until all that was left was a fleshy mess.

I turned to Zell with absolute malice. "Did it totally escape you that I'm NOT A BLOODY MONSTER?" My breathing was deep and heavy, and I could still feel my stomach burning where he'd punched me. I wrapped my arms around my waist.

Zell scratched the back of his head and sent a Cure spell my way.

The magical mist surrounded my body and took a deep breath as I felt some of the strength returning. Well, the pain in my stomach and face was gone.

"Thanks," I muttered, still angry that he'd used me as a human punching bag.

Zell watched me for a few seconds and then broke out in a grin. He snapped his fingers. "I forgot to tell you about status effects."

I glared at him. Did I want to listen to him talk? No. Did I want to smack that stupid grin off his face? Yes, yes I did. But I grit my teeth and asked, "So what are status effects?" _And it better be good_.

Zell rubbed his tattoo for a few seconds, and then entered teacher-mode and launched into a lesson on status effects. I listened intently, and faintly wondered what made him forget to provide me with this information _before_.

"So how do you get rid of status effects?" I asked when Zell paused.

"I'm gettin' to that part!" he said.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Zell continued. "Most of them can be cured by medicine, or Esuna, as you know." He started to list the different medicines for different effects. I smirked when he mentioned Holy Water for something called Zombie_._ I didn't even _want_ to know what Zombie would do.

I nodded and sighed. "Man, there's so many things you guys have to remember."

"It ain't so bad once you get used to it," he put a hand on his hip and crossed his legs. "Plus, you cast a spell already. It took me way longer to cast my first spell. You're doin' good!"

I smiled. "Really?" A part of me lit up in pride. _I did just cast my first spell!_

He nodded. "Yeah! I remember the first time I-"

_Rustle rustle. _I pulled Zell away before another monster could pop out of the bushes. "Let's get back to the others," I said immediately.

He nodded and we started walking back to the clearing.

"By the way," I started as I matched his gait, "Nat is a terrible nickname."

He laughed.

"What? It is!"

"Aww, Natasha's too long."

"You're really too lazy to say three syllables?"

He put his hands on his cheeks and gasped. "Do you know how long that is?" Then he…giggled, at his own joke no less. Like a little boy laughing, not entirely girly, but not manly either.

"You're strange," I replied.

"Made you laugh though."

I nodded, because he had made me laugh, and had been unexpectedly nice to me. "Hey, thanks for helping me today."

"No prob!"

For a while, we just stood there smiling at each other, more out of politeness than anything else, until Rinoa walked up to us.

"I hate to break this up, but I think I saw Squall stirring," she said.

As if on cue, Squall groaned. He sluggishly pulled himself off the ground and rubbed his head. From the corner of my eye, I saw Selphie struggle to get up and immediately went over to help her up.

"Sir Laguna's in big trouble!" Selphie declared as soon as she brushed herself off. She looked at Squall with wide eyes. "I hope he'll be okay!"

_Who?_

I turned to Squall to ask who Laguna was, but Quistis started talking.

"Doesn't seem like the first time for you all," she glanced at Zell, who nodded, and then turned to Squall with furrowed brows, "what is this?"

_What is what? _

Everyone turned to Squall, as if he had an answer. He looked around uncomfortably before crossing his arms. "We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out." He shrugged. "Let's just keep going."

Zell answered, "You're right, let's go! I think we're almost there." He scuffed Squall's arm before crossing the clearing and on the path that looked like it led outside.

The air was stagnant with dust and dryness as we stepped out of the forest. It must have been late afternoon, but the weather showed no signs of cooling. _Talk about temperature whiplash_. The cracks in the ground crunched beneath our feet, as if it hadn't met water in a long time. In the distance, I could see a round, red structure that seemed to be surrounded by golden rings, looking like they were on fire in the setting sun.

"Wow," I whispered.

"We should be there in about ten minutes."

I turned to face Quistis, who had been walking beside me. She smiled. "The first time I saw Galbadia Garden, I was speechless too."

"It's beautiful," I sighed. I looked at Galbadia Garden again.

Quistis didn't respond and we fell into an uncomfortable silence. Or maybe it just felt uncomfortable because of the heat.

The lack of a breeze was sweltering hot, as in, I wanted to stick my tongue out and start panting.

'_**Except you're not a dog, and have sweat glands,'**_ said Ifrit.

'_**Yeah, so panting is completely unnecessary,'**_ Siren added with a giggle.

I coughed and rolled my eyes. _**'**__I was just joking.'_ Shouldn't they have known that anyway?

"Wowzers! Galbadia Garden is bigger than Balamb and Trabia Gardens put together!" Selphie said. She walked into step beside Quistis and me.

"Wait until we go inside," Quistis said with a smile. Her gaze fell on me, and her smile turned into a questioning frown.

I cleared my throat. I'd been staring at her awkwardly because I didn't know what to say to her. _Just come out with it. _"Hey Quistis," I trailed off, trying to gather my thoughts.

"What do you need to say, Iz-" she shook her head, "Natasha?"

I cleared my throat again. "It's just, I don't know how to thank you for helping me," I blurted. _Well, that sounded better in my head._

She scrutinized me for a few seconds, but I didn't turn my gaze away. "I never would have guessed you weren't Izzy. I thought something happened to her during the SeeD exam, and that's why you were acting differently," she finally said.

I nodded. "It's just so bizarre, like Freaky Friday, but creepier."

"What?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Nothing." _Reminder: Earth references don't work here._ "So do you know Izzy well?"

"Not too well. She's in some of my classes, a good student, but really quiet." Quistis put a hand on her chin and pursed her lips in thought. "I wonder how she's faring."

"Yeah… I hope she found a way home-my home, I mean." I added when Quistis gave me a confused look.

She watched me with curiosity, and I fiddled with my hair and cleared my throat. "So what's home for you?" I blurted into the uncomfortable silence.

Quistis's eyes went wide, as if she hadn't expected that to come out of my mouth. "Balamb Garden," she said stiffly.

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "I meant, where your parents-"

Quistis shook her head. "It's Balamb Garden. I've lived there since I was very young." Her expression was guarded, her eyes emotionless.

I nodded. "Oh, okay. I won't pry." I grinned weakly.

She softened and exhaled. I looked away from her. _Everyone has a past,_ and if she didn't want to talk about it, who was I to force her?

We fell into silence again.

We soon reached the gates of Galbadia Garden. The building was a lot larger up close. It loomed over us so that it blocked off the sight of anything else behind it. We walked inside the gates and onto a platform that led into the entrance. A soft whirring could be heard, and I looked up to see several people flying around on giant jet-pack looking things, except they had robotic limbs. Quistis seemed to be the only one not fazed by any of it.

We silently walked down the platform and soon reached the entrance, which was blocked off by a row of turnstiles. Beyond the entrance, I could see the huge lobby of Galbadia Garden.

The floors glistened, and I was sure I could see my reflection in them. The place smelled very… clean, like sanitizer and floor wax, and something springy that I assumed must be air freshener.

"Wow, completely different!" Selphie exclaimed.

"Sure is quiet," added Zell. I followed his gaze to see a bunch of students walking around quietly. But where Balamb Garden's students had walked around lazily and with chatter, these students walked as if they had sticks shoved up their spines. There was no warmth in their interactions.

Squall strode up to one of the turnstiles. "I like it," he declared.

Rinoa attempted to hide a giggle.

Quistis stepped up next to Squall. "Could you leave this one up to me?" she looked around at the rest of us. "I've been here several times, and I know the headmaster pretty well." She turned and walked through the turnstile into Galbadia Garden. She paused and faced us with a grim expression. "I'll go and explain the situation," she whispered before walking off down the hall.

The rest of us stood around awkwardly. The atmosphere between us changed considerably. None of us knew what would happen. I picked at a loose thread at the hem of Izzy's shirt. What _would_ happen? And what would I do after everything settled down? I felt a prickle at my neck and looked up to see Squall studying me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You and Rinoa will have to pretend you're from Balamb Garden," he said.

I nodded. "It shouldn't be too difficult."

He kept watching me with pursed lips, as if he was contemplating saying something to me. I stared at him questioningly, and he shook his head, as if at a private thought.

_Beep!_ "Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please wait in the Second floor Reception Room," spoke a man's voice over the PA system.

"Well, let's go," said Squall as he led the way through the turnstiles. We followed him quietly down the hall.

Like Balamb Garden, four pathways intersected in the middle of the building. But unlike Balamb Garden, there was no fountain that provided the soothing sounds of flowing water. Instead, a beam of golden sunlight poured into the center of the circular platform. The whole place had a sense of discomfort around it. The students were too disciplined, and the entire building had an unexplainable coldness. I supposed it had something to do with the quiet way everyone walked around, as if there was no time for socialization. I found that incredibly odd.

Zell jabbed me in the back. "Hey, I forgot to give you this." He handed me Izzy's Balamb ID.

"Where did you-" I stared at him and grinned uncomfortably. "Thanks," I said, and put the card inside Izzy's wallet.

"Yeah, now it makes sense why you hightailed it from the cafeteria the other day."

I nodded. "Just for the record, I don't usually run away from people."

He smirked without saying anything.

Siren suddenly called my name. _**'Just so you know, there's a draw point near you.'**_

'_Really? Where?' _I looked around the circular platform.

'_**It's directly under the beam of light.'**_

I walked over to the light, and sure enough, there were tendrils of golden ribbons lapping over each other on the ground. _'Is that it, Siren?'_

'_**Let me draw it for you.'**_ Then I momentarily felt her spirit leave my body. She returned a few seconds later. _**'You've stocked twelve Hastes!'**_ She offered a brief explanation of the magic before junctioning it.

I turned around to see everyone except Squall watching me.

"Siren told me there was a draw point there." I shrugged.

Squall had his hands on his hips and stood gazing at the three platforms that led off into adjacent hallways. "I think we have to go this way," he called behind his back, and turned left. Rinoa, Selphie, and Zell started to follow him, but I stood back. I had a feeling he didn't really know where we were going.

It probably made him hate me more, but I had to speak up. "Hey, Squall," I called.

Everyone turned around.

"What?" asked Squall.

"Do you know where we're going?"

He opened his mouth, but the announcement cut him off. "Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please wait in the Second floor Reception Room," the voice blared over the PA again.

Squall put a hand on his hip. "Second floor Reception Room."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Captain Obvious," I muttered. I looked around at the students milling around. "Maybe we should ask someone."

Squall protested, but I didn't listen. I spotted a boy sitting on one of the benches that was perched on the area below the platform. He watched our group with casual amusement. _Well, he looks friendlier than the other students._

"Excuse me!" I waved at the student.

His eyes traveled over to me and he nodded in acknowledgement.

I walked over to him. "Hi there, we're kind of lost."

He raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, the SeeDs from Balamb Garden?" his voice was a deep drawl, and he had an accent that sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

I nodded. "Can you tell us where the Reception Room is?"

He slowly scanned each person in the group before his eyes found mine again. He smirked, and then he stood up and stretched. "Aye. I'll take ye all there," He led us down towards the opposite hallway where Squall had wanted to go. We followed him quietly. I didn't trust myself to talk to Squall, since I didn't want to rub it in his face that he'd been leading us the wrong way.

We reached the second floor, and the Galbadian student stopped right in front on a gray sliding door. He turned around. "This is the reception room,"

We all thanked him and he saluted with a smirk before walking off down the hall.

Squall pulled the door open and the rest of us piled inside.

The room was grand, with a high ceiling, and a full-sized window that covered an entire wall. Selphie immediately walked over to it and put her hands on the glass. I followed Zell as he sat down on one of the off-white leather couches. There was a glass coffee table in the center of the room, and I had a sudden urge to rest my feet on it. Along the right side wall sat an oak armoire, and above it hung a generic painting of a fruit bowl. I took a deep breath and sunk back into the couch. The cool scent of hydrangeas drifted over and I noticed there was a pot of them in the center of the coffee table. The room reminded me of a nicer version of a hospital waiting room, but it was just as cold and uninviting.

Zell fidgeted impatiently next to me. "How long are they gonna make us wait?"

Squall grunted from his spot at the door and shrugged at Zell.

A few minutes later, the door slid open and Quistis walked inside, claiming the attention of everyone in the room.

"How'd it go?" Squall asked.

Quistis grinned. "They understand our situation." She bit her lower lip and turned to Zell, "And Balamb Garden is safe," she whispered.

Zell gave a sigh of relief and sunk deeper into the couch.

Quistis continued, "The attack on the president was classified as an independent act."

Independent act? That means Seifer's being blamed. The Sorceress must have turned him in or something.

"There was an official notice from the Galbadian government," Quistis continued.

"What did it say?" asked Zell. He wiped his forehead, which had started sweating.

"Balamb Garden is not being held responsible," Quistis answered.

"So, Seifer's taking all the blame?" Zell whispered.

Quistis looked down at her feet. "The trial's over," she whispered, "and the sentence has been carried out." She sent Rinoa a sad look. "He's being punished as we speak…"

I turned to Rinoa, who had her back to the rest of the group. She turned around, her eyes swimming with tears. "He was executed?" She took a shaky breath before her legs gave out and she sank to her knees on the ground.

_Oh man…_

Quistis nodded morosely.

Rinoa hugged herself. "Of course he was…he attacked the president." She shook herself and stood up, her eyes glazing over. "He sacrificed himself for the Forest Owls!" she muttered.

I stared at her. I didn't think it was fair she was blaming herself for Seifer being executed. It had seemed to me that Seifer knew what he'd been doing. I didn't particularly like the guy, but he must have known that his actions would have repercussions. Plus, hadn't he disappeared off with the Sorceress? I shook my head. How was Seifer even connected to her?

"It was your group that got Seifer involved in all this," I heard Quistis say. She walked over to Rinoa. "You're a resistance faction, right? You must have been prepared for the worst." Quistis's voice was strained, as if she was trying hard to sound warm. "I'm sure Seifer was prepared too," she whispered.

Rinoa turned away forcefully, and I could see tears glistening on her cheeks.

Quistis bit her lower lip and watched Rinoa with narrowed eyes. She cleared her throat. "Don't think of it as Seifer sacrificing himself for you." She looked away from Rinoa and sat down with a deep breath. "Sorry," she said softly, "I know that wasn't much consolation."

The room went into silence once again. I absently pulled at my hair. Was Seifer really dead? How old had he been? Seventeen, eighteen? I shuddered. Sure I hadn't really known the guy, but I could somewhat understand what Rinoa was feeling. The thought of never being able to see someone again…_especially when they're such an important part of your life_. I shook my head and blinked back tears. Instead, I diverted my attention to Squall who was pacing back and forth by the door. Hadn't Seifer and Squall been rivals? I wondered what he was feeling.

Selphie suddenly turned around from her place at the window. "You really hated Seifer, didn't you Zell?"

Zell looked up at her sadly. "Yeah, but…" he exhaled. "He was from Garden, one of us…" he trailed off. I watched him as he picked at a loose thread in his jeans. "I wanna get revenge, if I can," he mumbled.

"I don't have any good memories of him," Quistis spoke up. "I've seen some troubled children, but he was beyond troubled." She shook her head and hung her head. "But he wasn't really a bad guy."

Rinoa sniffed. "I really liked him," her voice was heavy, and she wiped tears from her eyes. "He was always full of confidence, smart. Just by talking to him I felt like I could take on the world…" She sighed and sat down next to Quistis.

"He was your boyfriend, right?" I asked softly.

Rinoa looked at me with such a sad expression, I got teary eyed. "I don't really know… I, I think I was in love… I wonder how he felt." She wrapped her knees to her chest and put her head down.

_I thought they were going out…_

"Do you still like him?" asked Selphie.

Rinoa shrugged. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking about it." she sniffed again. "It was last summer that we… I was 16…lots of fond memories…" she trailed off and rocked back and forth a little, her eyes glazing over again. The rest of us watched her quietly.

I wanted to say something to her, but I knew there was nothing I could really say to make her feel better. What was there to say to lessen the pain of bereavement?

_Bang! _Everyone jumped a bit as Squall banged his hand on the table.

"What's wrong?" Quistis asked.

"I won't have it!" he hollered. He looked around at us with narrowed eyes, and ran a shaky hand through his hair.

Selphie stepped up to him and grabbed his arm. "Are you mad!"

Squall shook himself out of her grip and ran to the door. "I'm not having anyone talk about me in the past tense!" he screamed before slamming the door behind him.

_Is this normal Squall behaviour?_ I looked around at everyone to try and make sense of what had just happened, but everyone looked as shocked as I felt.

Finally, Quistis broke the silence. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a break." She went back to her seat, sat down and crossed her legs. "Someone should probably go get him after a while though."

_Well, it's not gonna be me._ I went back to my seat and sunk into the leather, my head reeling with thoughts I didn't want to have.

* * *

A/N: Didn't want to put this at the beginning, because I like the beginning of this chapter and didn't want to distract from it :)

Some notes: Thank you Hikari No Aijou for the lovely review and adding to Favourites/Alerts! I'm so happy you're enjoying the story so far.

Thank you everyone for reading, alerting, and favouriting. You all give me inspiration for writing more!

Please review :D


	15. Stark

A/N: What is this? Is this an update you see? Yup. It is kind of a filler chapter, but I felt I needed one at this point in the story. The action is about to start! Approaching the end of the first disk!

By the way, I have the next couple of chapters written out. It's just a matter of editing them and posting them :)

The wedding is next week, so I probably won't be putting any updates for a long time.

As always, thanks for all your support everyone. I can't believe so many people are reading this! Thank you!

Please take the time to review. It's amazing motivation :)

* * *

Squall's freak-out left everyone quietly lost in their thoughts. Deafening silence hung in the air like a blanket of tension, and I couldn't think of anything to say to break it. I was the only one without any memories of Seifer, except I guessed, when we'd been on the train to Timber. Had he really been executed? The last time I'd seen him, the sorceress had been taunting him. _What was that all about?_ Then she had seemingly disappeared, and so had Seifer. Were they connected in some way, or did the sorceress just want to distract him so the president could run off, and she could turn him in? I scratched my head. It seemed likely that that's what happened.

I sighed and looked at Rinoa. She still had her arms wrapped around her legs and stared blankly at a spot on the floor, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Next to her, Quistis sat stiffly with her legs crossed. She absently folded and unfolded her glasses in her jittery hands. Selphie stared out of the window, and would occasionally brush her knuckles against her boots. I turned to Zell, who had one leg casually thrown over the other as he leaned back into the couch. He stared off into the ceiling with glassy eyes.

Every once in a while, I would throw a fleeting glance towards Rinoa, and in doing so, would catch either Selphie or Quistis doing the same. But Rinoa didn't notice, or she just ignored our worried, uncomfortable looks. I considered asking her more about her and Seifer's relationship, but I figured that she would talk if she needed to. _Besides, I'm probably the last person she'd feel comfortable talking to about Seifer._

Clamping my teeth, I shook my head with more force than necessary. _What I should be worrying about is how the hell I'm getting home._ But my mind drifted to Squall. Why had he freaked out like that? "I won't have anyone talk about me in past tense." That's what he'd said. I hadn't known him long, but I would have never expected that to come out of his mouth. It had sounded awfully…morbid, and no matter how broody I'd seen Squall being, he also seemed realistic and composed. _Besides, how else are people supposed to talk about you when you're dead?_

Ifrit let out an exasperated sigh. _**'Now who's being morbid?'**_

I sighed and got up from my seat. I really needed to get out of this quiet and uncomfortable room.

"What's wrong, Natasha?" asked Quistis.

"I'm just gonna go walk around." I walked over to the door. There was an abrupt clap and I turned around.

Zell got up rather abruptly. "I'll go with you," he said, sounding a bit unsure as he gazed at Quistis quizzically.

"Um," I looked between the two.

Quistis nodded at Zell, and Zell walked up to the door.

"Coming?" he asked.

"Yeah." _What was that all about?_

If you two see Squall, could you bring him back here?"

"Sure," I called, guiltily hoping that I wouldn't run into Squall at all. The door closed behind me with a snap and with Zell I stepped out into the crowded and noisy hallway. Students milled around, talking in hushed tones. I noticed nearly all of them wore dark blue SeeD candidate uniforms. A couple of girls walked by. One of them wrinkled her nose and gave me a dirty look. I averted my gaze. _Talk about rude._ But then, I did look like I'd been rolling around in a pile of blood and dirt, and I smelled like it too.

"Where d'you think Squall ran off to?" Zell asked.

I shrugged.

"Let's check downstairs." He walked down the hall towards the staircase.

I watched him apprehensively. "Um, you check there. I'll check on this floor."

He opened his mouth.

"We'll cover more ground!" I smiled for good measure.

Zell finally shrugged and disappeared down the stairs.

_Thank Goodness._ I really didn't want to look for Squall, especially if he wanted to be alone.

To the left end of the hallway, I could see an elevator. I stepped up to it and pushed the button, and suddenly regretted it. "FACULTY USE ONLY," blared an automated female voice, followed by a short, wailing siren that sounded like a police car.

_Oh shit._ I turned back and nearly bumped into someone who wasn't Zell.

"Didn't yeh read the sign?" The student pointed to a bright yellow sign pasted under the button that read 'Faculty use only,' in glaring white letters.

I gave a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of my head. "Whoopsie."

"Happens all the time," said the stocky, dark-haired boy who I'd nearly bumped into. _He looks awfully familiar._

"Hey! You're the guy from earlier!"

He ran a hand through his inky black curls and half-smiled.

"Well, thanks for that. We probably would have gotten lost," I said when he didn't reply.

"Name's Stark." He held out his hand for me to shake, which I did.

"Natasha."

He scrunched his nose. "Nevar heard that one before." His accent was thick and I had a feeling I'd heard it before. _Sounds Scottish._

I shrugged at his comment, waved, and started to walked away. _On second thought._ "You didn't see a guy in black clothes walk by here a while ago, did you?"

Stark put a hand on his stubbly chin. "Leather jacket, fur collar? He had a gunblade?"

I nodded.

"He went doon there." Stark answered, and pointed down the hall. "Wasn't he the one with a bad sense of direction?" He smirked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Observant, aren't you?"

"You could say that." He shrugged and crossed his arms against his chest. I noticed that he'd folded his sleeves up to his elbows, and instead of having his uniform zipped up like the other students, he had it left open, showing off a bright red t-shirt underneath. "So, do yeh usually go around pushing buttons yeh shouldn't?"

I coughed. "Depends on what kind of buttons," I said under my breath.

"What?"

I cleared my throat. "Nothing. Hey, you want to show me around?"

Stark glanced at his wristwatch, then smiled. "Sure, I got time." He started descending the stairs.

"So how big is this place anyway?" I asked as I matched his gait.

He smirked at me. "Yeh get used to it. It's a lot bigger than Balamb Garden, eh?"

I nodded. "And a whole bunch colder."

"Colder?"

"Yeah," I paused as a burly male student in a tracksuit walked by. "No one talks to anyone else."

Stark shrugged. "Good training for the military, wouldn't yeh say?"

I turned to him in surprise; especially because of the casual way he said it.

"But I'd rather join SeeD. That's why I'm transferring to Balamb first chance I get."

We reached the bottom of the stairs in silence. I'd thought SeeD was the only option for Garden students, but I supposed it did make sense for Galbadian mercenaries-in-training to become Galbadian soldiers. _And there are so many people here._ It boggled my mind. I made a mental note to ask Zell about later.

Stark waved a hand in my face. "Are yeh listening?"

I blinked. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Aren't yeh looking for yer friend?"

I shrugged. _Squall's not my friend._ "We'll run into him eventually. So what's over there?" I pointed down the hall, past the line of students doing pushups. Their coach was a tall, bald, scary looking man with burly limbs and a frown that I was pretty sure was permanent. He glared at me as Stark and I walked quickly by.

"That's the sports arena. We have a basketball court and a hockey rink."

"You guys have hockey?"

"Aye. Do you play?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! I'm from the land of hockey!"

He narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Canada!"

"Huh?"

_Frick on a stick… _I cleared my throat. "Never mind."

The hallway led out into a lobby of sorts. I chose the moment of silence to look around the hall. Floor to ceiling windows covered the entire left side, which was decorated in expensive looking floral patterned armchairs. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the room in blinding white light. Across from us was a glass double door, beyond which I could see a basketball court.

"We have a lot of sports teams at Galbadia Garden," Stark explained as he opened the door. The sun was starting to set, and the court was blanketed in long criss-cross patterned shadows. A few students were casually throwing hoops. I noticed that nearly all of them were male and vaguely wondered if Balamb Garden had a sports arena.

I turned to Stark. "So are you part of any of the teams?"

He shook his head, but before he could speak-

"Think fast!"

A basketball flew straight at Stark, but he caught it before it could whack him in the chest. A skinny, dark-skinned boy with silky black hair jogged up to us.

"'Sup Starky-boy?" He grinned widely and aired out his sleeveless Galbadia Eagles jersey, which had sweat marks on it. His gaze fell on me and he nodded, which I assumed meant 'hello' in guy-language.

"Not much, Carly."

He scrunched his nose. "Ugh, don't call me that."

"Then don't call me Starky-boy."

I looked between them, and I could swear I felt the testosterone levels rising. Both of the boys started guffawing. Stark smacked the Carly kid on the back, who retaliated by ruffling Stark's hair.

I smiled and shook my head. Growing up with two brothers – well, one brother and one neighbour-who's-like-a-brother – I'd gotten used to guys scrapping around. But it never failed to amuse me how easily they could go from insulting each other to laughing with each other. _I wonder what Trevor's doing._ Did he know I wasn't there? My stomach fell. What if the sorceress had gone after him? If only we'd waited a day before going home…_Why didn't we? _The answer to that question: my parents. My heart clenched. They'd wanted me home right away; I'd hardly even had time to pack. _Why are they so bloody overbearing?_

And what about Izzy? I wondered where she was. Was she in my body, like I was in hers? If so, what had she told everyone? My parents would never even entertain the possibility that another world could exist. They probably thought I was crazy, claiming to be someone named Izzy. _Aref and Carol Amiri: Private practice psychologists living in the suburbs of Toronto. Two children; a girl and a boy. Perfect family. _I wondered if they even knew what happened to their daughter. I couldn't imagine my parents going a day without knowing what I was doing. My stomach rumbled guiltily. Why was I so bitter towards them?

_Because they're insufferable,_ nagged an annoying voice in my head. I grasped a lock of my hair and started twirling it in my fingers. _Izzy's hair, Izzy's fingers, _I reminded myself and smoothed out the strands. I wondered what Izzy was doing at this precise moment. Had she told everyone who she was, like I did? What if she wasn't even in my body? What if my mind had overtaken hers and she was right here listening to my thoughts? What if-

"Natasha!" Stark's voice cracked my thoughts like a whip.

I blinked several times and focused on Stark's narrowed dark blue eyes. For a few seconds I just stared, because his eyes were the exact same shade as Trevor's, and I felt a sudden urge to break down and start bawling. Instead, I shook my head – _Izzy's head, _nagged the voice – and smiled widely. "Hmm?" _Goodness, I can't even form words._

"You just zoned out for, like, five minutes," commented Stark's friend.

'_**What an exaggeration'**_ Siren scoffed.

'_**She's right. It was only two minutes.' **_Ifrit felt the need to add.

Stark gave Carly a 'you're an idiot' look and before turning back to me. "Uh, are yeh okay?"

_Nope. _"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I flashed him a nonchalant grin.

Stark sent his friend Carly a furtive glance. "Because yer face was redder than a Geezard's tail!"

_A what?_ I coughed to stifle a laugh. "Well, it is pretty hot," I offered lamely. It kind of made sense. Izzy was a pale girl, and I was pretty sure I'd gotten a tan while we'd been walking around outside. "So, what's over there?" I pointed towards the other end of the basketball court, where a set of metal double doors stood blocking whatever was inside.

"Actually, I just saw yer friend walk out of there,"

"Who?"

"The gunblader. I thought yeh were looking for him." Stark raised his eyebrow, as if he thought I would zone out again.

"Oh Squall. Did he go that way?"

"You mean the guy with a stick up his ass?" Carly asked.

I scowled at him, and then turned back to Stark. "Well, thanks for showing me around. I'm going to back to the reception room." I turned to Stark's friend. "Nice to meet you Carly."

"It's Carl!" He shook his head. "You're spreading it around!" he hissed at Stark.

I backed away slowly.

"I'll walk you back," said Stark. He gave Carl an apologetic smirk-smile and led me away from his disgruntled friend.

"You don't-" I cut myself off. Stark was a nice guy, and if he wanted to walk me back to the reception room, I wasn't going to complain. Plus, I wouldn't mind the company. I smiled and nodded. "So, is your friend always that obnoxious?" I asked Stark as we walked through the glass door.

He chuckled. "Carl's a riot."

"How did he even know Squall's uptight?" I wondered out loud.

Stark stopped walking and turned to me with a rather serious expression. "Yer friend pretty much shoved him aside when he walked by us." He wrinkled his nose. "Yeh were really gone, eh?"

Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, I looked away. "Yeah, it happens every once in a while." I shrugged. "Don't you ever zone out when you're thinking deeply?"

"Hmm," he scratched his chin. "Aye, I guess."

"Yup, it's not that weird." I scuffed his arm and started walking down the hall again. The scary-looking coach was still walking around, ordering the students to "give him twenty more." Zell had joined the line, and was the only one who wasn't huffing and puffing or turning a harsh shade of scarlet. He enthusiastically counted as he did pushups. I smirked. _He would. _

"Don't yeh know that lad?" asked Stark as he pointed at Zell.

I opened my mouth to answer him, but at that precise moment, a female student walked by Zell. Zell looked up as she walked over him, and in doing so, lost the count on his pushups. _Ugh, did he just look up that girl's skirt? _I turned to Stark and lied, "Never seen him before."

He looked at me incredulously. "But he was with-"

"Oh, look, the stairs!" I interrupted loudly before leading Stark towards the stairwell. At the foot of the stairs, I turned to him. "Hey, thanks for your help."

He ran a hand through his curls. "Yer welcome. See yeh around." He waved before walking down the way we'd come.

"Bye!" I called. I stepped onto the stairs. _People here are so nice._ Everyone I'd met so far in this world had been willingly helpful. _Pro-social, as Professor Gould would say. _It was refreshing, since growing up in Toronto had taught how rude and unapproachable people could be.

A sudden flash of silver and blue passed by me, leaving a strong scent or oranges and nearly knocked me backwards. But strong hands caught me before I could go tumbling down the stairs.

"Whoa! Sorry 'bout that, Izzy."

I looked up into a pair of dark brown eyes. "Thanks," I said as I straightened myself up.

The boy scratched the back of his head and smiled. I stared at him. He was tall, tanned, and impossibly burly. He wore a flimsy blue vest that barely covered any of his upper body, and loose black pants. _Why is he dressed like Aladdin?_

"Raijin! SQUALL." The sudden voice made the boy jump.

"Fujin's scary when she's impatient, ya know," the boy whispered to me before lumbering down the stairs. He joined the silver-haired girl who waited for him at the bottom.

"Idiot!" she barked at him before dragging him down the hall.

_Wait, did she just say Squall?_ I galloped down the stairs and made a beeline after them.

Sure enough, outside the hallway stood the two teenagers, and they were talking to a rare, interested-looking Squall.

"-Order from Headmaster Cid, ya know?" the boy named Raijin finished saying.

I stepped next to the Fujin, who turned to me. "Izzy?"

"What kind of order?" Squall asked before I could speak.

"Gave it to the head honcho here, just like Headmaster Cid wanted, ya know?"

The girl nodded at Raijin. "EXPLAIN," she ordered.

Squall sent me a fleeting look, but ignored my curious one. His expression was fairly stoic, but the small crease in the middle of his eyebrows and the subtle way he pursed his lips betrayed his confusion.

Raijin took a deep breath. "We were suppose'ta go to Timber, but the trains have stopped so we had no choice but to come here." He glanced at me before continuing. "Kinda relieved to see you guys here."

Utterly confused, I looked at Squall for an explanation, but he kept his eyes on Fujin, who kept looking from Squall to me.

"SEIFER?" she asked.

I resisted the urge to cover my ear. _Either this girl has a speech impairment or she just enjoys shattering people's eardrums._

"Oh yeah!" Raijin added. "Wasn't Seifer with you?"

My stomach fell as something clicked into place. Weren't these Seifer's friends? They'd met with him in Balamb after the exam, and later I'd seen them all together at the SeeD party.

"I believe Seifer may be dead," Squall said softly.

Fujin gasped.

"I heard he was tried in Galbadia and then executed…" Squall trailed off and watched the two apprehensively.

"LIES!" Fujin barked as she shook her head violently.

Raijin threw his head back and laughed. "That's gotta be a lie, ya know!" He shook his head. "There's no way he'd put up with a trial, ya know! Or an execution! That's just not Seifer, ya know!"

I stared at Raijin with wide eyes. _Delusional, ya know?_ I turned to Squall, who seemed as confused as I felt by the outburst.

"FIND!" Fujin said vehemently to Raijin.

He gave her an intense look and whispered, "We're gonna meet up with Seifer?"

Fujin nodded.

Raijin laughed again. "See ya, Squall! Izzy!" He waved and ran off down the platform and towards the entrance. Fujin waved at us before running off after Raijin.

I immediately turned on Squall. "They actually believe Seifer's alive?"

Squall shrugged. "Who knows?"

I shook my head. "You're right, they're his friends, they probably don't want to believe it until they know for sure."

Squall looked at me blankly.

"So what was that all about earlier?"

"What?"

"You completely freaked out. What was that-" I shook my head. "Never mind. Actually, I'm glad I ran into you 'cause we have to get back to the-"

_Beep! _"Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please assemble at the front gate." _Beep!_

"-the front gate," I finished sheepishly.

Squall shook his head. "Thanks, Captain Obvious," he muttered before walking down the platform towards the rows of turnstiles.

"Isn't that what you said to him before?" Zell's voice drifted over.

I turned to him. "Yup, irony at it's best. Let's go."

We met the others right outside the front gate of Galbadia Garden. The sun had set by now, but the pathway was lit with bright fluorescent lamps that gave the place an eerie semblance of daylight. The metallic halo that surrounded the Garden now hung at an angle, so that one end of it was directly over the gate, looking like some kind of predatory warning sign.

I followed Squall and Zell to the end of the pathway just as the sound of a car was heard.

"That's Martine," said Quistis. She flashed me a serious look. "You and Rinoa will have to pretend to be SeeDs."

I hadn't exactly planned on revealing my identity. I nodded at Quistis before we all lined up single file in front of the approaching car. I stared at the bright yellow vehicle as it stopped right in front of us. A middle-aged man stepped out of the driver's side door and marched up to us. Everyone except me and Rinoa saluted military-style. I nervously copied their movements.

"Good day," said Martine as he looked around at the group. He had a gruff, gravely voice and an accent that sounded as if he belonged in a Western flick. He wore a dark blue military jacket with a golden trim that reached his knees. His hair was slicked back, and his face seemed to have a permanent scowl, which I supposed suited his entire military-like demeanor.

"I have official orders from Headmaster Cid addressed to you. Following regulations, I have gone over these orders," he said as he started pacing in front of us.

_Wow, he just dove right in._

"After careful consideration of our options, we have decided to fully assist and cooperate with Headmaster Cid."

_What kind of orders?_ There was no way I would be able to go on a SeeD mission.

"Actually," Martine continued, "we, too, have been planning this for quite some time now. In order to stress the importance of this mission, I must first brief you on the current situation." He stopped pacing and turned to face our group. "At ease," he commanded.

I heard Zell release a deep breath, while everyone else generally loosened up.

Martine gave us a hint of a smile before he continued, "You all know about the Sorceress being appointed as the peace ambassador for the Galbadian government." He nodded. "However, this ambassador thing is just a cover-up. There will be no peace talks, only threats."

_Well, no shit! The Sorceress is EVIL._

Siren shushed me.

"The Sorceress creates fear among people."

_Yeah, evil._

"Therefore, peace talks are impossible." Martine paused for a few seconds as he gazed at each one of us. "Galbadia is planning to use this fear to create favourable conditions for itself."

_But why trust the sorceress?_

"It is clear that Galbadia's ultimate goal is world domination." Martine cleared his throat. "Garden is no different."

_This Galbadia place reminds me of America._

'_**Natasha, pay attention!'**_

"It is a fact that the sorceress is planning to use this Garden as her base."

_And what, use all these students as an army?_

Martine crossed his arms against his chest and scrutinized us for a few seconds. "We have very few options available to us," he finally said. He nodded at Squall. "We entrust world peace and the future to you."

_What does he want us to do?_ More importantly, what was I going to do? I couldn't possible go along for the ride. I'd have to split apart from the group and confront the sorceress alone. _Back at square one._ Except this time, I knew where to find her. I should have been prepared for this. It was inevitable that Squall and the gang would be sent on a SeeD mission sooner or later. I couldn't rely on them forever.

"You will depart tomorrow morning. The mission will take place two days from now; on Friday." He handed Squall a manila envelope. "Details of the mission are enclosed in these official orders."

The rest of us watched quietly as Squall opened the envelope and pulled out a small stack of fancy-looking paper. His eyes went wider as he scanned the sheets, but no one asked him what the documents said.

"Any questions?" asked Martine.

Squall looked up at him, all traces of shock suddenly gone from his face. "These orders say by means of a sniper. We have no one with that skill," he said in a steady voice.

Martine grinned briefly. "Don't worry about that." He stepped away from the group. "Let me introduce Galbadia Garden's elite sharpshooter." He turned to the gate and shouted, "Kinneas! Irvine Kinneas!"

We followed his gaze to the front gate, where a student dressed in shades of beige lay casually on the grass. He pretended to shoot a butterfly he'd captured on his finger before pushing himself off the ground and swaggering over to our group. He was tall and lanky, drowning in a large bright fur-trim coat that in no way was ideal for Galbadian weather. For some reason, he was dressed in a cowboy outfit, complete with chaps and a hat that covered his flowing chocolate-brown hair. He tapped his shotgun on his shoulder as he smiled cheekily at us, slowly scanning each person in our group.

"This is Irvine Kinneas. He will be your sharpshooter." Martine watched the boy warily before turning back to us. "Any more questions?"

There was a moment of silence. I cleared my throat.

Martine turned to me, along with several other pairs of eyes. "Yes?" Martine asked.

"Um, you said we're departing tomorrow morning." I cleared my throat again as I felt the back of my neck prickling. "Are we staying here until then?"

Martine slightly narrowed his eyes in a way that clearly said 'you're-an-idiot.' "Yes, we have guest rooms ready for you." He opened the door to his vehicle. "If there's no other questions, I will be leaving you." He hopped into the car and slammed the door shut. "Failure is not an option," he called from the open window before starting the car and driving off towards the parking lot.

Everyone except the new kid Irvine huddled in front of Squall.

"What are the orders?" Quistis asked.

Squall furrowed his eyebrows. "This is no ordinary mission." He glanced at the piece of paper in his hands before continuing, "It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden. We're to-" he gulped quietly before continuing, "Assassinate the sorceress."

A collective gasp went around the group. _Assassinate? _Actually, why did I care? As long as I could get switched back with Izzy, I didn't really give a crap about the sorceress.

"What?" Zell hollered. He snatched the documents from Squall's hands. His face went pale as he read it. "It's true…" he trailed off and handed the documents to Quistis, who skimmed over them before passing them around the group. I was the only one who didn't get a turn.

Squall scowled at Zell before continuing, "We're to shoot her from afar. Kinneas will be our sharpshooter." He nodded at Irvine.

The rest of us turned to him too. Irvine tipped his cowboy hat in greeting, smiling in a lop-sided way.

"We're to support him to our fullest," Squall continued, "Should the sniper fail, we are to attack head on."

_Man, he says that like it's completely normal to attack and shoot people. _Well, for SeeDs, I guessed it was pretty normal. They were mercenaries, after all.

Irvine scoffed. "Thanks for the support, but I never miss my target." He had the same cowboy accent as Martine.

Squall nodded before moving to stand next to Irvine. "We're going to head to Deling City, where we'll meet with General Caraway to go over the details of the plan."

At the mention of General Caraway, I noticed Irvine give Rinoa a familiar, knowing look, like he knew her or something.

"We should rest up. We're to depart at oh-seven-hundred hours tomorrow morning."

We all stood around for a while, trying to let the information sink in. _Now what?_ Would I go on the mission with them? That would make sense. Quistis said we had to go to Deling City anyway. _Martine said the mission's gonna take place in two days. _So I could approach the sorceress a day before the mission. That made the most sense. I wouldn't want Izzy to be caught up in all that chaos. She should at least have a day for everyone to fill her in on what was happening. "Hey, Quistis, can I see those documents for a second?"

She reluctantly handed me the manila envelope and I smoothed out the front sheet and scanned it.

"At the parade on Friday evening is when the mission will take place. General Caraway will provide mission details to the SeeD party…"

I turned the sheet.

"Stealth and Coordination within the party is of utmost importance. Failure is not an option…." _Blah, blah, stuff about SeeD conduct._

I stuffed the documents back in the envelope and handed it back to Quistis. "Thanks," I muttered. The documents contained no actual details about how the mission would be carried out. So I would have to completely wing it.

"What are you thinking, Natasha?" Quistis asked.

"I hate to ask, but what about me getting switched back with Izzy?" I asked, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes. When no one answered, I looked at Quistis. She was watching Squall, as if waiting for him to say something. I turned to Squall too, but he just seemed unconcerned.

"We'll have to come up with a way that doesn't put Izzy in danger," Quistis finally said.

I nodded and turned to her. "But I have to approach her before the mission is carried out. I was thinking-"

"We can't interrupt the mission," Squall cut me off.

"That's not what I'm saying," I snapped at him before turning back to Quistis. "The orders don't have any of our names on them right?"

"Yes, what does that have to do with anything?" Quistis asked.

"So no one will know who we are or why we're there, right? It's a stealth mission, so it would be safe to assume that we're going to pretend to be citizens."

_**'And it would be completely plausible for you to act like a citizen who just wants to see the sorceress.'**_

I repeated Siren's words out loud. "And Izzy's parents are some big shots in Deling city right?"

Quistis nodded. "So before the parade, you can approach the sorceress and pretend to be extending your well wishes." She turned to Squall. "It could actually work."

Squall pursed his lips. "I don't know… I don't want anything to get in the way of our mission."

I let out a long sigh. "Squall, I don't want to get in the way of your mission either, but I can't just let you assassinate her without having her send me back."

Squall kept his gaze trained on Quistis. "You heard what Martine said. Failure is not an option."

"Look, I don't want to interrupt your mission, and there's still two days until the mission starts. I'm trying to figure out a way where we can all do what we have to do."

Squall turned to me with a blank, apathetic gaze. "You getting home is not a priority for SeeD. The mission is."

His words cut through me like a shard of ice and I felt my mouth drop. _I never said I was a priority for you_, I wanted to say. Instead, I gaped at him disbelievingly, too stunned to say anything.

"What kind of SeeD party are you guys?" Irvine suddenly asked.

Everyone ignored him.

"Natasha, how badly hurt was Izzy exactly?" Quistis asked.

I cleared my throat and ripped my gaze from Squall. "W-when I woke up, there was a dagger sticking out of her chest," I said flatly.

Quistis brought a hand to her chin. "Xu mentioned that Izzy got into a fight with a Galbadian soldier during the SeeD exam. Izzy must have gotten stabbed, because I kept hearing that Izzy Kou nearly died on her way to Squad B. Nida went to look for her and bring the squad back," Quistis shook her head. "I was only watching the progress of my squad during the mission, I don't know all the details."

"When I woke up as Izzy," I provided, "I saw the dagger sticking out of her chest. I pulled it out."

Quistis's eyes went wide.

"A few seconds later, Nida found me, cured me and said something about us having to get back, but Zell, Selphie, and Squall came running down the hill and we were chased off by that metal spider you shot to the ground." I took a deep breath, feeling as if I was telling a story about someone else, because things like this didn't happen to normal boring university students, or to anyone period.

There was a moment of silence, and I continued, "Anyway, as much as I hate to admit it, I do agree with Squall," I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache starting, and ignored the surprised look Squall sent me. "The mission is a priority for you guys." I kept my gaze on Quistis. "I think it would be best if I do this on my own."

"But what about Izzy?" asked Selphie.

"I think-I think she'll be okay. I mean she'll be switched back with me…" I trailed off uncertainly. "And if she's hurt, someone will have to be there if the sorceress…" I shuddered, not wanting to complete the sentence. If Izzy got hurt because I approached the sorceress alone… _No. I can't let that happen._

"Listen, Natasha. If you want to go off on your own, which I think is a bad idea," Quistis paused to look at Squall, "we can't stop you."

"It's not about me wanting to go off on my own. I'm not your responsibility, and as much as I appreciate that you all wanted to help me, the mission takes… priority over anything else." I hated using Squall's word, but he'd been right.

Quistis shook her head. "But Izzy is our responsibility."

"Yeah, and she'll need our help," Zell added.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Selphie nodding.

I sighed. Quistis was right. Izzy would need them. _But so do you and you know it._ I nodded. "You're right."

"So you'll have to do the switch before the mission is carried out," Quistis said softly.

I nodded reluctantly, feeling conflicted, because I didn't want to have to rely on everyone, but at the same time I couldn't approach the sorceress on my own. "So I approach her a day before Irvine takes her down?"

"Not a day, but right before. We can't afford to cause commotion a day before the mission. So you'll have to approach her before the sharpshooter has to attack."

I turned to her in surprise. "Wouldn't that interfere with-" I smacked a palm to my forehead and glanced at Squall before I started pacing from one end of the pathway to the next.

"I think we should wait until we know all the details," said Quistis.

I stopped pacing and turned to her.

"Natasha, you're in Izzy's body. You have to stay with us, especially since Headmaster Cid will know we're all being sent on this mission."

I nodded.

She continued, "and I really can't see the mission being interfered if you approach her right before Kinneas shoots her down."

"Unless he misses," Squall cut in.

Irvine cleared his throat loudly. "I won't miss." He sent Squall a dirty look.

"If that happens," Quistis cut in. "It won't, but if it does, we'll have to carry out the orders and attack head on. Izzy will return to her body, and we'll be there before the sorceress can do anything."

I nodded. "The most important thing is that Izzy isn't alone when she gets back." I sighed. "I don't know exactly what condition she'll be in, but she's definitely not gonna have any idea what's going on."

Quistis nodded and turned to Squall. "It can't fail."

Squall didn't reply. He had that same pursed-lips expression on his face and stared at the floor.

Quistis slightly shook her head and turned back to me. "Natasha, you're sure the sorceress can get you and Izzy switched back?"

"Yes. She's the one who brought me here." I nodded for good measure.

Quistis sighed. "Okay." She turned to the rest of the group. "We should rest up. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

Irvine walked up to the front of the group. "I'm supposed to show you to your rooms." He flicked the rim of his hat and crossed his arms. "But before I do that, I believe I deserve an explanation." He looked at me expectantly.

I turned to Quistis, seeking some form of approval.

She nodded. "He's part of this mission, he should know all the details." She looked around at the group.

Zell, Selphie, and Rinoa nodded in agreement. I purposefully avoided looking at Squall and turned back to Irvine.

"Everyone's tired, though, so let's get back inside and Natasha can explain on the way," Quistis said to Irvine.

Irvine nodded. "Follow me, everyone," he said with a grin. He pulled me to walk with him as he led the way inside the lobby. "So if you're Natasha, who's this Izzy chick I keep hearing about? And more importantly, is she good-looking?"


	16. The calm before the storm

_Prepare to meet my stomach, Mr. burger._

There was a moment of silence as everyone focused on consuming as much food as they possibly could. The cafeteria was a large, rectangular room with a high ceiling and large windows that were covered in thick maroon curtains. A few students were littered around the tables, enjoying the last hour of the buffet before the cafeteria closed for the night. I practically inhaled the beef-tasting burger before turning my attention to Irvine, who had started talking again.

"So let me get this straight, you've been put into this Izzy chick's body, and you think she's in your body back in your world, or whatever?" he asked as he popped a grape into his mouth.

I nodded for the umpteenth time. I'd just spent half an hour trying to explain everything to Irvine. At first, he hadn't believed me, thinking that since he was "the new kid," we were playing some kind of prank on him.

'_**He's got a twisted sense of humour if he actually thinks that,'**_ Ifrit commented.

"We're on a mission; Do you think we have time for games and jokes?" Squall snapped from next to me. I wondered why he had chosen to sit at our table in the first place, seeing as he wasn't fond of Irvine or me, but I supposed it was more of a default thing, since the cafeteria only had four-seat tables, and the others had claimed one table before Squall could get a seat there. _Still, he could have sat at any other table._

'_**Yup, like on the other side of the cafeteria**_,' Siren added with a giggle.

Now, I looked across the table at Irvine as I shoved some lettuce into my mouth with as much politeness I could muster, while trying to gauge whether he understood the whole ordeal or not.

Irvine finished the last of his fruit salad, clearly not phased by Squall's comment, and reclined in his chair with his hands behind his head. "That is the most messed up thing I've ever heard of, and I've heard some pretty messed up things," he finally said.

I swallowed the food before answering. "Well, believe it. Don't they teach you about sorceresses anyway?"

"Hah! You think I actually pay attention in history class?" He smirked, before his expression turned serious. "That's powerful magic though, being able to travel across worlds."

I nodded. "And don't forget dragging someone else to said other world." I shuddered. "Do you think that's why Cid ordered you guys to kill her? Because he wanted to stop her before she could do more damage?"

When Irvine didn't answer, I turned to Squall, who was drinking out of a white plastic bottle.

"It's not our job to question Cid's motivations," he answered monotonously.

I picked at my salad, put off by the aloofness in Squall's voice. _Does he just follow orders without questioning the reason behind them?_ "I guess you have a point," I agreed reluctantly. I turned back to Irvine.

Irvine shrugged. "They tell me to shoot, and I shoot." He smiled slightly, as if enjoying a private joke.

I took the moment of silence to shove more food into my mouth. I would have asked Irvine what he was smiling about, but for one thing, I was starving, and secondly, as nosy as I was, I didn't really want to delve into the matter at that moment. Who was I to judge how they lived their lives? I finished off the salad and reached for the bottle of brown pop I'd scored off one of the nicer cafeteria ladies.

"They don't feed you where you're from?" Irvine asked. He'd been watching me eat with a mixture of disgust and bewilderment.

I shrugged and took a huge gulp of soda. "Do you know how disgusting university food is? I haven't eaten like this in forever!" I plunked the half-full bottle on the table and sighed in contentment.

Irvine kept scrutinizing me with the same bemused expression, and I felt the urge to laugh.

'_**Except it's rude to laugh in someone's face,'**_ Siren piped up.

'_Yeah, but you'd think he's never seen someone eat before.'_ I hid the laugh with a cough and changed the topic. "So, what's it like being in a mercenary school?"

For a few seconds, Irvine didn't answer. I watched him as he stroked his chin, his lips pursed and his dark blue eyes slightly squinted in thought, and I was suddenly overtaken by how physically beautiful he was. _What the crap? _I shook my head of the thought and wiped off the grin I didn't realize I'd been wearing. "Did I ask something I shouldn't have?"

His eyes traveled over to me and he smirked. "Girls don't usually ask me that."

I shrugged and took another sip of my soda. I'd just been making conversation.

"I've been a student here ever since I can remember, so I can't imagine life anywhere else. Although, I am more charming than the other students," he said with a wink.

"Of course," I shook my head, amused, "But, seriously, why choose to join a mercenary school and not a regular school?" _Why choose to become someone's lapdog? _

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Garden is the best academy around the world. A lot of kids would die to be students here." He sat up straighter in his chair. "Galbadia is really selective, I'm lucky I got in."

"But aren't you guys trained to be soldiers here?" I asked, remembering what Stark had said about Galbadia Garden students training to be in the military.

Irvine nodded. "It's a choice, some people transfer to Balamb to become SeeDs, but most kids end up joining the Galbadian military."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just sipped on my drink. _Man, these kids are so intense. How do they live like this? Being trained to be soldiers and mercenaries. _What if the sorceress had switched me with someone else, someone from Galbadia, and I'd ended up in a completely different part of this world?

_Wait, why the hell am I even pondering on these questions?_ I would soon be leaving this place anyway. Whether I could forget about it and move on with my life right away was a different story.

I looked around the cafeteria, which was emptying now. An elderly janitor was sweeping the floor nearby, masking the smell of food with citrus-scented floor cleaner. He kept scrutinizing us, as if we were taking up too much room. On the next table, Rinoa and Selphie chattered on with Quistis nodding now and then. My eyes fell on Zell, who was slurping on a cup of bright orange slushie. _He drinks that any faster and he'll get a brain freeze._

"Wouldn't you want to join Garden?" Irvine suddenly asked.

I turned my attention back to him. "I don't know." The question threw me off. "I wouldn't willingly want to train to be in a military."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Let's just say I'm not the violent type. I couldn't handle the pressure of having to fight… and kill people."

He nodded and sat back in his chair again, this time crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?"

"You got GF's right?"

I nodded. "What does that have to do with-"

He raised a finger to his hat. "GF's birth unfamiliar emotions in you. They affect you right here," he pointed to his head. "You just have to keep remembering who you are."

"What are you talking about?"

"The urge to fight instead of run away. It becomes stronger. That's why GF's are so important in SeeD training."

"But I don't want to be a SeeD… I just want to survive here until I can get back home."

Irvine smiled. "Then keep your thoughts on getting home and you'll be fine."

I sipped on my drink and watched him as he lazily looked around the cafeteria. _Then keep your thoughts on getting home. That is what I'm doing. _I shook my head. It's not like I was becoming a killing machine or something. My thoughts drifted to earlier, when the threat of those monsters was imminent. I hadn't run away… _but I wasn't exactly the most graceful either. _Maybe Siren and Ifrit had affected some things "in there," but it wasn't like I was a completely different person.

"Feel free to pounce," Irvine drawled.

My left eyebrow shot up, because he'd totally misinterpreted my staring at him.

"You know, it's okay to want a piece." He was leaning back in his chair, smirking at me from under the rim of his hat.

This time, I did laugh in his face, quite blatantly. I couldn't help myself; I'd never really learned to control my laughter very well.

There was a sudden scrape as Squall pushed his chair back and stood up. "Are you guys done?" He scowled before he picked up his tray and promptly walked to the other table.

I stared after him, bewildered. "He's just a merry ray of sunshine, isn't he?" I whispered to Irvine.

Irvine waved a hand in the air. "That's just Squall for you."

I nodded and finished off the last of my soda. _Wait a minute._ "Why do you say that? You just met him."

Irvine glaced at Squall, and for a few seconds, we both watched Squall grab a chair from a nearby table.

"We go way back," Irvine whispered.

I turned to him quickly. "What?"

He smirked and flicked the rim of his hat. "Our little secret." He winked.

"What are you talking about? You know him or something?"

He crossed his arms over the table and shrugged. "I don't think they remember me." He refused to meet my eyes, as if he wasn't as nonchalant as he seemed.

"They? You know all of them? … then why didn't you say anything?" I asked, scratching my head. If I'd seen someone from my past, I'd be ecstatic.

He shrugged again, and then broke out into his cheeky, crooked smile. "Because if they don't remember me, they won't believe me," he drawled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I couldn't argue with his twisted logic, but it seemed a bit like he was lying to his friends, or so called people-he-went-way-back-with. "Why don't you remind them?"

Irvine shook his head. "Forget I mentioned anything."

I nodded. "Okay…" But then, why had he told me in the first place? And why was he keeping this information from everybody?

'_**Natasha, just drop it,'**_ Siren commanded.

'_Hmm, yeah, I guess he has his reasons.'_ Plus, it wasn't really my place to question Irvine's intentions. _Or he could just be mistaken and doesn't want to make a fool of himself._ I leaned back in my seat and crossed my legs, and diverted my attention to the fact that I'd soon be able to take a shower and go to sleep.

-Izzy-

A sigh of the greatest relief escaped Izzy's lips. She wanted to laugh out loud because her mind had been running a mile a minute thinking of an excuse to get out of the "you're adopted" conversation she had been so sure she'd be getting from Natasha's parents.

Trevor pursed his lips and gave an ever-so-slight shake of his head, a look Izzy took to mean that it was inappropriate to laugh.

"Do you understand, Nata- Izzy?" Carol asked.

Izzy nodded and gave an unsure grin. She didn't understand because she hadn't been listening.

"So you have no objections?" Aref asked incredulously. His eyes were so wide, they seemed as if they would pop out the corner of his glasses.

"Um, to what?" Izzy asked. _I really should have been paying attention. _In truth, she had been too preoccupied with thoughts of where she would find the so-called sorceress.

Aref and Carol shared a concerned look. "Sweetie, we think it'll be best for you if you stay home for the summer semester and defer your classes. Spend some quality time at home, with us?"

Aref smiled rather forcedly. "We can go to Muskoka next month. Like we planned to do last year, remember?"

_Of course I don't remember! _"Um, yes."

Carol sighed, and her face relaxed into a smile. "So you'll defer your semester?"

"Okay," Izzy deadpanned. She nodded for good measure. None of it mattered to Izzy, because something had just occurred to her. She needed to talk to Trevor; to confirm with him what she was certain she had to do. She put on her most winning smile, and said in the sweetest voice she could muster, "Can Trevor and I go out to eat? I'm starving, and-"

"And I promised Izzy I'd take her to the new sushi restaurant!" Trevor cut in.

Natasha's parents looked at each other, bewildered.

"Uh… sure, Sweetie."

-Natasha-

_When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye. You're just like an angel; your skin makes me cry... you're so very special, I wish I was special. But I'm a creep! I'm a weirdo! What the hell-_

_**'Could you stop singing such depressing songs?' **_Siren asked, exasperated.

_Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's running out agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain! Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's-_

'_**NATASHA, SHUT UP!'**_

I stopped, more stunned that Siren and Ifrit had hollered in such perfect harmony than what they had said.

I was propped on a mound of pillows, trying to get my mind to shut off so I could sleep. The faint sound of running shower water drifted out of the bathroom door as I absently leafed through a finance magazine I'd found lying on the side table. _Inflation of taxes in Deling City, how fascinating._ I shut the magazine and tossed it back on the table with more force than necessary. Taking a shower usually made me sleepy, but for some reason, I was wide awake. I ran a hand through Izzy's long blonde hair, which was still damp with the strawberry-scented shampoo I'd been using. _Apparently, Galbadia Garden doesn't believe in hair dryers._ Faint voices drifted through the wall from the room next door, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. With a sigh, I leaned back and closed my eyes. _Damn, I need my music._ Listening to music always lulled me to sleep.

_**'Not until your hair is dry. We don't want you getting sick,' **_Siren commanded.

_'Yes, mother.' _

_**'I'm just looking out for you.'**_

_'Sorry.'_ I felt incredibly immature, mostly because I didn't really mind Siren being motherly. A part of me wished I could take her back home, to prove that this wasn't a giant coma dream, and also because I quite liked having her voice in my head.

_**'Aww, how sweet,' **_said Ifrit in a mockingly high-pitched voice.

_**'It's okay, he's just jealous,'**_ Siren retorted.

_**'What?'**_ he roared.

I snickered. _'I'll leave you two alone.'_ With that, I unequipped the GFs and placed the GF stones on the table next to my bed.

Just then, the bathroom door cracked open and Quistis stepped out, wearing paisley pajamas and a fluffy yellow towel wrapped around her head. "I wouldn't mind staying here another night," she said.

I turned to face her as she unraveled the towel from around her head and proceeded to dry her hair.

"I know what you mean. This is like a five-star hotel!" I gestured at the armoire and matching vanity table.

Quistis tossed the towel in a hamper by the bathroom door and plopped down on her bed. "It's all about keeping up appearances. Plus Galbadia Garden is better funded than Balamb," she said in an off-hand way.

I didn't know what to say so I just nodded.

"Anyway, we should get our rest. Tomorrow's going to be long," she said as she lay down and tucked herself into bed. "Once we have the details about the mission, we'll be able to come up with a plan."

I sighed and snuggled back into the covers. _I'm so close to getting home. _For a moment, I forgot about the questions and just focused on what I had to do. My stomach churned, because for some reason, I couldn't shake off a feeling of dread gnawing at me. What if something went wrong? _No, you can't think like that._ I released a deep breath and turned to face Quistis. She was staring straight at the ceiling with her hands behind her head.

"Hey, Quistis."

She turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you think the sorceress would want to go into another world?"

Quistis looked at me for a few seconds, as if surprised at the question. Finally, she answered, "I would think she'd want to take over it. You know, extend her power."

"Hmm, that's what I thought. But I don't get why she would go there and then come and start being involved in politics here. I mean, why now?"

Quistis propped herself up on her elbow. "Perhaps she's given up taking over your world for a while. You said she wasn't fully present, right?"

I nodded.

"I'm pretty sure it takes her a lot of power to travel across different worlds. She probably wants to rest her powers a bit before trying again."

"But if she can use someone else to get there, I don't get why she'd try to possess me twice."

Quistis' eyes narrowed. "Twice?"

I gulped. "Yeah… hey I've been meaning to ask, actually. What can you tell me about sorceress' powers?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can sorceresses erase memories?"

She studied me for a few seconds. "Sorceresses mess with people's minds. They can compel people to do their bidding."

"Compel?" I asked.

Quistis nodded. "It's not exactly possession, but if the person is willing, a sorceress can manipulate them." She rubbed her chin and continued, "I'm pretty sure if she exerts enough power, a sorceress can erase one's memories."

I shuddered. Is that why I had forgotten about the details of Noah's death, because the sorceress erased my memories of it? So had she actually killed him or was she messing with my mind? And that again begged the question: what did she want with me? She wasn't even able to possess me!

"Natasha," Quistis called, "do you think the sorceress might have done something like that with you?"

I stared at her, and then slowly nodded. "I don't know for sure." I took a slow breath. "I- I had a dream which might have been a memory, or something like that."

She watched me expectantly, one blond eyebrow raised.

I let out a breath and looked away from her before quickly saying. "I dreamed that she was the one who killed my brother, where before I always thought it was the car accident that killed him." I paused to glance at her before continuing. "It was two years ago. I was driving and a truck hit us, and next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital and finding out that he died in the crash." I sat up, keeping my eyes away from Quistis's gaze. "Then, earlier today, when I was taking a nap on the train, I dreamt that I was with Noah in the car, and that we both survived the crash, and the sorceress was there." I continued detailing the dream, about the shadows, and how Noah had screamed for me to run. It was as if someone else was telling the story; someone with a flat, emotionless voice talking about the moment that changed my life. It was easier to detach myself, to pretend that it didn't hurt as I poured my heart out to someone I was barely a friend with. "It's really my parents I worry about, you know? They haven't been the same since."

For a while, Quistis didn't say anything. I slowly turned my eyes on hers. She watched me with a mix of discomfort and sympathy, as if she didn't know what to say to me.

I broke the silence. "That's another reason why I've been so obsessed with finding her, Quistis. I need answers."

"You know, you probably won't have time to interrogate her," she said softly.

I picked at the hem of my nightshirt. "Yeah, I thought I wouldn't…I guess it doesn't really matter." I looked at her. "I mean, here I am, distracted because of a dream." I shook my head. "I just hate not knowing, you know?"

She nodded and we both descended into an uncomfortable silence.

I sighed, trying to gather my thoughts. Why was I so scattered? _Because there's so many unanswered questions._ But as long as I got back, I could just go back to my normal life, right? _Right._ But I knew I couldn't forget about the sorceress, and about everyone here. I got up to turn off the lamp and the room fell into darkness. "Well, good night," I called to Quistis.

"Night," she said. I heard her shuffling into a different position.

I lay back on the down pillows and closed my eyes. I couldn't stop thinking about Izzy, and how she probably didn't have a single idea about what happened to her. _That is, if she woke up in your body at all_. A shudder overtook me. She couldn't be dead. That would mean I would have died as soon as the body-switch happened, right? I nodded into the darkness.

"I sort of envy you, you know."

It took me a few seconds to realize that Quistis whispered something, and a few more seconds to realize the depth of what she'd said. I turned my head to her, and wished I could see her expression. "How come?"

There was a soft shuffling as Quistis shifted her position. "You have a family to go back home to."

_She says that like she doesn't have a family. _Then I remember how she'd reacted when I'd asked about her parents. In truth, I was a little taken back at her sentiment.

Quistis exhaled softly. "I don't even remember having a proper family. Well, I did, but things were horrible there, so I joined Garden when I was ten."

I stared at her shadow in the darkness, overwhelmed that she was telling me all this. "What happened?" I asked carefully.

She shrugged. "Let's just say my parents weren't emotionally supportive." The bed creaked as Quistis shuffled around. "You seem so adamant to get back home to your parents, where I just never looked back after leaving."

"Do you regret it?" There was a pause in which I wondered if the question was too personal.

Quistis finally sighed. "No. I don't regret coming to Garden." She shuffled around. "Especially when I met other children who were without families. It became our home, you know?"

"Yeah…" Now I truly understood why everyone felt personally responsible to get Izzy back (except perhaps Squall). They were all a part of something together; comrades, but more than anything, they were like a family.

"We should sleep. Early morning tomorrow," Quistis whispered. I heard her yawn as she pulled the covers tighter over herself.

I lay back in my bed, my mind buzzing even more than before. Guiltily, I realized that I hadn't really been taking anyone seriously. _As if I don't have to know their stories because I'll only know them for a short time._ What if their mission did get sacrificed because of me? I squeezed my eyes. No, I didn't think they would agree to anything if it would be detrimental to them or their Garden. I couldn't help but shake the sinking feeling in my stomach, as if I was setting myself up for disaster. _And wouldn't everyone else be affected if something bad happened during the mission?_ My heart clenched and I shut my eyes tighter. "They're fully trained mercenaries," I told myself. They knew what they were getting themselves into. I took a deep breath and sunk deeper into the pillow. _Go to sleep…_

* * *

A/N: I hope it was worth the wait. The next chapter just needs to be edited a little before being put up. I've been having an extremely difficult time picking this up since it has been so long, but I'll try my best to keep it to the original story line.  
Thanks for reading!


	17. What becomes of us?

-Natasha-

The dream began with crackling flames. I knew it was a dream, because for one, I was myself, not Izzy, and secondly, everything felt strangely intangible, as if I was floating in a sphere where everything shifted at my whim. The scent of cinders perfumed the air as tendrils of smoke rose up and disappeared into an inky sapphire sky. The low-hanging moon seemed to be rising from the rippling seawater that seemed to consume the entirety of my vision. I was on a vast beach, where ocean waves lapped playfully as they brought foaming seawater to tickle my feet. A salty breeze surrounded me and caused black wisps of my hair to fly around my face. For a while, I just watched the water curve and reach toward me, and then gently pull back into the ocean from where it was born. The waves made me think of the arms of a child; ones that reach out into the world but always manage to find their way back home. In hindsight, the thought seemed abstract and random, but at the time it felt like an appropriate comparison.

I sighed and looked at the bonfire again, where a group of children sat huddled against two adults. Not wanting to disturb their peace, I kept a good distance away. And of course, it was my dream, so they wouldn't notice me if I didn't want them to. _Man, I love my imagination for coming up with this dream!_ I looked away from the group and brought my attention to a tall, narrow structure that sat upon a cliff off in the distance. It was a lighthouse.

If she hadn't yelled out, I wouldn't even have noticed the little girl that separated herself from the group and started running towards where I stood. She ran towards me and I buckled as she suddenly threw her arms around my knees.

"Mama!" her voice was nothing more than a whisper, and my heart clenched at the desperation behind it.

I gently pulled her away and kneeled down to her level. For a few moments, I just stared at her, not knowing how to tell her I wasn't her mother. Her eyes were wide and hopeful. Her long dark hair whirled around in the wind like a halo.

I opened my mouth to speak, but she suddenly thrust something into my hand. "I got this for you, Mama." She looked at me with furrowed eyebrows, her lips set in a straight line, an expression too serious to be on a kid's face.

I looked briefly at the object in my hand, then at the girl. "This isn't mine."

"But you told me to get it for you!" she said as she closed my fingers around the ring.

I shook my head. "Listen, I'm not your mother." I thrust my hand towards her.

She tilted her head and gazed at me for a few seconds. "You are!" tears filled her eyes.

_Oh crap_. I reached across to hand her the ring again, but a faraway voice pierced the night.

"Aria!"

I stood up suddenly to see a woman running towards us.

"Is your name Aria?" I asked the girl.

She nodded before pulling on the hem of my dress. "Please don't forget me," she whispered. Before I had a chance to register what she meant by that, she ran off in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" I called after her, but she'd already disappeared down the beach, and all I could do was scratch my head and stare after her.

"She'll be back, she has nowhere else to go."

I turned around to face the woman who'd been calling for the girl. "Are you her mother?" I asked. _What a bizarre thing for a mother to say._

She shook her head and smiled in a rather sad way. _There's something oddly familiar about this woman._ She turned to face the water and just stared out at it, her hands clasped in front of her. She wore a simple black dress over a dark blue shirt that looked matronly and contrasted with her youth. Her shiny black hair cascaded down her back and blew around in the wind. She turned her face halfway towards me, so that most of it was covered in shadows, and I couldn't really see what she looked like.

I obliged her silent request and spoke. "Why did that girl think I was her mom?"

"Natasha," she whispered so lightly, at first I thought I'd imagined it, because how could she possibly know me? _But then,_ I reminded myself, _this is your dream._

"Don't you recognize this place?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Why would I? I'm dreaming." I laughed lightly.

Her cheeks lifted, as if she was smiling. "Of course you've forgotten," she said before fully turning towards me.

I gasped and stepped back when she finally met my gaze. Her face was beautiful, heart-shaped and perfectly symmetrical. But what stood out the most were her eyes, a distinct shade of tawny that I'd only seen on one person. There was no mistaking her. "What are you doing in my dream?" I asked the sorceress.

The corners of her lips tugged up slightly, but her eyes were shadowed.

My heart raced. I tipped my head back and laughed. "What am I talking about? I can just make you disappear!" I closed my eyes for a few seconds and took a deep breath. When I opened them, she was still there. I shook my head, embarrassed. "What do you want?"

"I want you to remember." She held her arms out to her side. "You brought yourself to this place, think about why."

I looked out into the water. Waves lapped gently, and had my pulse not been bashing near my eardrums, I would have closed my eyes and enjoyed the soothing sounds of the ocean. "I love beaches, so it makes sense my mind would create a dream of a beach."

The sorceress shook her head, making the ebony hair dance around her like a halo. "Your mind didn't create this, Natasha."

I stared at her. She wasn't making any sense. _I don't like this dream anymore!_ I pointed an accusing finger at her and demanded, "I want to wake up now."

She turned her back to me then, her head lowered and hands clasped in front of her. "That is up to you, Natasha. But I would think you need answers."

Why did she turn away? And what was up with the whole nice lady getup? I stepped closer to her and laid a hand on her shoulder to turn her around. "Hey, lady, sorceress," I started.

"Edea," she corrected as she turned to face me.

"Whatever," I waved a hand in the air, "What do you want with me? Why did you bring me to this world?"

"You brought yourself here." She extended her hands and gestured to the beach.

I rolled my eyes, suddenly annoyed at her vague responses. "Well, duh! It's my dream." I grabbed her shoulders. "I mean the body-switching freakiness. Why were you after me?"

She gently laid a hand on mine and looked at me sadly. "Are you sure you want to know?"

I narrowed my eyes and nodded. _I just said that._

"Because you're the only one that got away."

"What the hell does that mean?"

She was unfazed by my rudeness. "Natasha, this isn't the first time you've been here."

I released her shoulders and laughed in her face. "You're insane, lady." I started pacing around her. "And you're not giving me answers."

"You've forgotten who you are." She pointed down the beach. "Aria may not be your daughter, but she's a lot closer to you than you remember."

I stopped pacing and stared at the sorceress. "Do you realize you're not making sense?" I shook my head. "Look, if you're not going to give me answers, I'm out of here." I grabbed her hand and thrust the ring into her palm, much as Aria had done with me. "She gave this to me. I'm pretty sure she took it from someone else."

Instead of taking the ring, Edea grabbed my wrist in a tight grip. She narrowed her eyes, and all of a sudden, I could see through the disguise she was wearing, and her expression became cold and hollow. "You need to see this," she whispered, each word dripping with malice.

I tried to wrench my arm away, but her grip was like iron, and I was forced to walk with her as she dragged me closer towards the water.

"Do you see who you are?" she hissed as she pushed me so that I was leaning into the water. Our reflection looked up at us: me looking pale and scared with Edea standing over me, scowling as if I was an unruly child and she my mother.

"I want to wake up." I squeezed my eyes shut, but the dream would not disappear.

The sudden pressure of Edea's hands on my back caused me to stumble. She pushed, and I went tumbling into the shallow water. _What the?_ Instead of landing, I kept falling and falling. What surrounded me was not water, but blackness, as if I was falling down a bottomless void. I tried to scream, but my throat constricted and no sound came out.

Finally, breath. I was jolted into consciousness, and it took about a second for me to realize where I was. Something large and white obstructed my view and I pushed it aside, only to realize I was sitting in the front seat of my parent's car.

After a moment of dread at seeing Noah's limp form in the passenger's seat, I shook him awake.

"We need to get out of here." I unlocked my door with some difficulty, but no matter how much I pushed on it, it didn't budge. I groaned loudly, feeling tears of frustration well up in my eyes.

"What's the matter?" Noah called from outside his open door.

"My door won't budge." I tentatively lifted myself up and reached around the car in order to clear a way for myself. "I'm gonna get out from your door. Man, I can't see a thing."

There was no response. "Noah?" I called out.

"Oh shit… I don't think you should see this, Natasha!" his voice sounded like it was coming from the other side of the car.

I asked him how bad the damage was, but my voice was weak, and he probably didn't hear me_._ I crawled out of the car and pulled myself off the ground. "Noah?" I called again.

No answer. "Hey, how bad is it?" I yelled, coughing as the smell of burnt rubber invaded my nostrils.

Suddenly, the air became frigid with a wind that appeared out of nowhere. _It's the middle of July, for goodness sakes!_ I limped forward. Why wasn't he answering me? "Noah, I swear to God…"

A loud groan shut me up. "Noah!" I stumbled blindly towards where I had heard the sound. He didn't answer. I squinted, but all I could make out were two blurry shadows near the driver's side door of the car.

"Noah?"

"Silence!" called one of the shadows. It detached itself and stepped closer to me. I stood rigid, unable to move, as the shadow creeped closer. I could make out that the shadow was a woman in a long dress, with a hat of some sorts that seemed to be sprouting horns.

The sound of a struggle jolted me out of my frozen state, and I stepped closer to where Noah stood. He gestured wildly, pointing to his throat. He seemed to be trying to say something, but no sound came out of his mouth.

"Run? Noah, what's wrong?" I reached out as Noah frantically shook his head.

He stopped, then, and stared at something behind me.

Before I had the chance to turn around, a blinding white light consumed everything.

Noah yelled out in pain, followed by a thud.

"Noah!" I squatted to the ground._ No…_

Pain shot through my skull as I was lifted off the ground like a piece of meat. I was violently turned around, and when the light subsided, I came face to face with a terrifying person.

"Who are you?" I croaked out.

She stepped closer, bringing with her a chill that I couldn't quite explain. "Natasha," she stretched out the name as if mocking it.

"What have you done?!"

She threw her head back and laughed, a sound that caused my entire body to shudder. It was cruel, mocking, a laugh with no happiness.

I tried to turn, to move myself away, but something held me rooted to the ground.

The woman stepped closer, sneering, her eyes empty of emotion. She clasped my shoulders tightly and forced me to look into her eyes. Her face, it was ethereal, her form translucent, as if she was an illusion or a ghost. _But her touch, why are her hands so strong?_ I squeezed my eyes shut then, because this couldn't be happening. I would snap out of this nightmare and I'd be waiting for Noah in the car. We'd argue about who got to drive, but knowing him, Noah would eventually let me.

I opened my eyes to look into the woman's tan-coloured eyes so cold, there seemed to be no soul within them.

"Enough games," she whispered in a silvery voice that instantly snapped me out of my thoughts.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my blood had turned into ice and my lips stiffened at the woman's touch. My throat constricted, and I found myself unable to look away from those dead, emotionless eyes.

Her lips curled in a sneer that bared the entirety of her teeth, making her look like some sort of feral animal. "This world will finally be mine," she said melodiously, and I remembered inappropriately thinking how corny that sounded. She removed her hands from my shoulders and brought them to lie on the sides of my face.

I groaned as I felt air rush past my ears, making it seem as if I was struggling against a wind tunnel. A pull on my mind was felt, as if it was being sucked out of my body. I could faintly hear the woman screaming, but it was soon drowned out by deafening silence. A jolt racked me, and the tug on my mind became a push, as I felt myself returning back to my senses. My mouth opened in a scream, but I could not hear it. I fell to the ground, and could faintly see the shadow as the woman disappeared into nothingness.

The deafness abated, and a single thought entered my mind. _Noah!_ I coughed and frantically looked around, propping myself up on my elbows. I tried to stand, but my left leg would not cooperate. Everything was a dark blur; my eyes were useless without glasses. A little distance away, I could see a limp form and I crawled over to it.

"Noah," I whispered, and the action forced several more coughs out. He wouldn't move. I inspected his body for some kind of damage, and finding none, resorted to shaking him. "Noah! Wake up!" No movement. My breathing became shallow as my heart jumped to my throat. _He can't be dead._ His face was paler than I'd ever seen it, and I held out a shaking hand to check if he was breathing.

Nothing.

I could barely keep my eyes open and my head spun.

I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jeans, and sent a silent prayer when my fingers clasped around my cell phone. Gray spots overtook my vision and I racked 911 into the phone.

"911, what's your emergency?" I marveled at the monotony of the female voice before it registered in my mind what I'd been calling about.

I mumbled something I couldn't later recall, and as I shut off the phone, darkness overtook me as my face met the ground and I lost consciousness.

I bolted awake. At first, my mind failed to register why I was lying on a soft surface, obstructed by a blanket that lay over me. I snapped my eyes open and flung the blanket away, trying to control the shallow pants that escaped my throat.

_It was a dream, a dream. Noah died two years ago. It's not happening right now. _I took a few deep breaths to still my hammering heart, letting the calm darkness of the room wash over me. My pulse raced somewhere near my temples. I looked around the dark room and could slightly make out Quistis' unmoving form on the bed next to mine. I focused on the sound of her soft snoring to pull myself back to reality.

Bright red letters proclaimed 5:36 am on the bedside clock as it… _Click, click, clicked_, I willed my eyes not to water, but I didn't blink. I was afraid that if I did, I would either see the sorceress's cruel, haunting face, or worse yet, Noah's unmoving one. _Stop. It was a dream._

Why? Was the Sorceress able to enter my dreams and show me things she wanted me to see? I racked my brain to try and remember the night of the accident. _Yes,_ my heart sank in realization. That was the memory, so clear to me now I couldn't believe I had forgotten it in the first place. It was as if my mind was a slate that was re-written with what had previously been washed away.

Her words in my memory shone above all else: _"You're the only one who got away."_ What had she meant by that? _"This isn't the first time you've been here."_ So was the place in my dream an actual place? One that belonged to this world? If I'd been here before, I would have remembered, wouldn't I? _That wouldn't be the only thing you forgot, though. _My heart felt like a lemon being squeezed.

Why did I suddenly feel like there were gaping holes in my memory? I thought about my life as a child. It was a blur to me, filled with happy summer days in our backyard pool, or starting school and being contrasted to my family because I didn't blatantly resemble them. But that was normal, right? Most people had blurry memories about their childhood. No one remembered every single detail about their lives.

_You're psyching yourself out. _I sighed and tossed the bed covers away. I couldn't sit here and get lost in my head. The fresh waves of memory hurt, but I couldn't dwell on them. _He wouldn't want to be remembered like this. _Instead, I thought of how Noah had been in his life. Full of energy, always coming up with wacky ideas to rebel. _Yet he always found ways to charm his way out of trouble._ I smiled into the darkness, and hugged my knees to my chest, and didn't hold back as tears filled my eyes. For a while, I just sat there, quietly crying and hugging myself. It was moments like these when I hated most to be alone. That was one of the reasons Trevor was my best friend, because it was exactly during these moments that I could just call him up, because Noah had been like a brother to him as well; he understood the reasons behind losing sleep every night, or bolting awake in a sweat with an inexplicable feeling of having your heart ripping out of your body. _Except I could never tell him about how guilty I always felt._ That had been my own test. Something I'd thought I'd have to live with forever.

_But why did she kill him? Why not just leave him alone if she just wanted me?_ _Wait a minute;_ was she after me because she thought she could control me? Because she thought I'd been exposed to this world before? I brushed Izzy's hair back and sat up straighter. _So the crazy bitch killed my brother and messed with me because of a misunderstanding?_ My blood boiled and my breathing became panting as anger consumed me. The sense of bloodlust was foreign, but so clear I couldn't focus away from it. I wanted her dead; more than anything, I wanted to be the one to do it.

I released a breath I'd been holding and shook my head. I wiped the tears away, my eyes burning and my throat constricted. I put the nasty thoughts away, because I was not a killer, and bloodlust was not something I wanted to feel.

"That's it," I forcefully shuffled out of the bed, my feet hitting the cold hardwood floor with a soft _thud._ As silently as I could, I tiptoed to the bathroom door and slipped inside.

Izzy's face in the mirror was familiar and alien all at the same time. I'd grown accustomed to seeing it every time I expected to see my own, but I'd yet to think of Izzy as myself. _I'm only in her body, I'm still me inside. _I'd pleated her hair so that it hung in a messy braid down her back. Her round baby blue eyes were puffy and heavy-lidded. I tried to picture myself in the mirror, my true self: shoulder-length jet-black hair, almond-shaped hazel eyes, high cheekbones and a crooked nose. It was difficult to see myself in Izzy; to pretend that I wasn't uncomfortable being in her body, by the unfamiliarity of her height, and the way her long legs took strides that my short ones never did. I looked away.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I gave another look at my bed. _There's no way I'll be able to sleep. _Instead, I padded to the door, making sure Quistis didn't wake up. Irvine had mentioned that there was a balcony at the end of the hallway that housed the guest rooms.

I opened the door and immediately put a hand over my eyes at the sudden brightness of the hallway. I snapped the door closed behind me and looked around the hall. Small crystal chandeliers bathed the hallway in yellowish light. The carpet felt rough under my bare feet, but I didn't bother to go back and retrieve slippers. The flimsy garden-provided pajamas weren't sufficient for the chill of the air-conditioned hall, and I regretted sending Izzy's sweater out to the laundry. I shrugged and wrapped my arms around myself, determined not to go back to bed. Besides, everyone would be waking up in an hour or so anyway.

_It's too bloody quiet._ I let out a deep breath, and decided to distract myself by singing. My bare feet padded on the carpet as I walked towards the wooden door at the end of the hall. _Ra ra, ra mama, gaga oolala, Want your bad romance! I want your ugly, I want your disease. Yup, nothing like some meaningless lyrics to distract you from your thoughts. _

"I want your everything as long as it's free. I want your love! Love, love, love!" I reached the balcony entrance and cracked open the glass door. I turned around to close the door so it wouldn't slam. "I want your psycho, your vertical stick. Want you in-" Something warm landed on my shoulder. "HOLY CRAP!" I tripped over my own feet and my face hit the cold glass door.

"You want my what?" a male voice. More specifically, Zell's voice shut up my Lady Gaga impersonation.

I turned around, clutching my chest, which felt like it would explode. He watched my reaction with a sheepish grin, which I noticed was a common gesture from him.

I gulped the lump in my throat and exhaled slowly. "Do you always sneak up on people like that?" I screeched.

He put a hand on his lips and made shushing noises. "You're gonna wake up the whole floor!" he whispered.

"Well, with you pretty much giving me a heart attack, that's not such a bad thing." I sighed again. The feeling of calm also brought a feeling of embarrassment, which usually occurred when I was caught singing to myself.

Zell scratched the back of his blond head. "It's not my fault you're so jumpy. Plus you were singin' that weird song so loudly, I heard you coming down the hall."

My cheeks flushed and I cleared my throat. _Stupid, innuendo-laden lyrics. _"Yeah, well, I didn't know anyone was listening." I took another deep breath, feeling my heartbeat returning to its normal pace. "What are you doing out here anyway? It's heinously early."

He didn't answer. Instead he stepped outside onto the stone balcony, out of the shade of the marble slab that hung over half of the balcony, out where moonlight consumed him and made him appear illusionary. He started shadowboxing, and I just watched him and wondered whether I was still dreaming. Or perhaps moonlight always made everything look unreal and intangible somehow. At that point, I started to question my sanity.

"I usually get up early," his voice drifted over and immediately shattered the illusion.

I shook my head to disperse the stray thoughts. _Pull yourself together. _I stepped out of the shadows and grasped onto the stone railing. The sky was inky blue, clear, with stars dotted here and there. I could see a beam of bright yellow light that I'd first thought was sunlight, but it was actually a large flashlight in the middle of the Garden lobby. A light breeze played around me, and I breathed in the scent of sand that was caught in the wind.

Turning around to lean on the warm stone railing, I brought my attention back to Zell. He also wore the dark blue and white striped pajamas that we'd been provided with, but ones that were a size too big, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and pants cuffs to his ankles.

He stopped shadowboxing and turned to me. "Why're you so quiet?"

I shrugged. "Didn't want to disturb you."

"Kinda weird coming from you." He leaned back into the railing a little distance away from me. His usual carefully spiked hair was ruffled and stuck out all over the place. His light blue eyes shone vividly in the direct moonlight, luminescent.

I laughed. "Yeah, yeah, cus I never shut up."

He nodded, "And you're always laughing and stuff." He turned around and leaned his elbows on the railing, looking out into the distance. He looked childlike and rather endearing in the way he gazed at the night sky with big eyes, dressed in clothes too big so they hung off him and made him appear skinnier than he was.

I was slightly taken aback that he'd noticed that. I did laugh a lot, but mostly in situations that were awkward or uncomfortable to kill the tension. _I guess it's more obvious than I realize._ I turned around and looked at him. "Do you really get up this early every day?"

He faced me and answered, "Usually, to work out." He brought a hand to rub the tattooed side of his face. "Hey! You ready for another lesson?"

"Uh…" _I don't know if you and I agree on what constitutes a lesson._

He pushed himself away from the railing before I could answer, and stood a little distance away. I marveled at the amount of energy he had at this time.

"Are you kidding? I haven't even had my morning tea yet!" I complained. Plus, he wasn't exactly the best teacher, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

"Hey, you're the one who asked me for help!" He crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised an eyebrow expectantly.

My immediate response, "No, I didn-" _Ok, teach me everything you know, sensei – sound familiar?_ "Aw crap, I did, didn't I?"

He nodded excitedly.

"Why are you so adamant?"

Zell scratched his head, "Ada-what?"

I coughed. "Pushy?"

"Because! No one's ever asked me to teach 'em how to fight. At Garden, people just sort of learn on their own, you know? It's kinda exciting, I don't see much newbies."

I didn't know whether I should be offended. I mean I wasn't that incompetent, I could defend myself…somewhat. Judging by his easy-going grin though, I didn't think he meant offence. Besides, he had pretty much taught me everything about junctioning and magic, and even a little about GFs.

"Okay, instructor, teach me all the wisdom of your ways," I finally said, in a mock baritone.

His grin became wider. "That's the spirit!"

It was all a blur of blue and white. Zell started off by telling me to take a hit at him. I reluctantly threw a punch at his face, which he effortlessly blocked. After a few more turns of me trying to hit him, he countered with a kick, which didn't hurt, but did send me tumbling to the ground.

"Oh shit, sorry!" Zell helped me up.

Panting, I rubbed my back. "Okay, so we established that you're too fast for me," I said between breaths.

"Hmm, that's not it, you're too reluctant. You gotta loosen up a little." He put a hand on his chin and regarded me with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, the fact that you don't resemble a monster kinda makes me hesitant. That's the main reason I sucked at those Karate classes, because I don't like the idea of attacking someone for no good reason."

"What about your brother? Was he any good at the classes?"

"Yeah," I answered while looking away. "But he basically would just make his mind blank and think of the instructor as a target."

"Hmm," Zell put a hand on his chin, "does that work for you?"

"Nope, I'd have to be provoked to no end."

He watched me for a few seconds before snapping his fingers. "Okay, try this." He assumed fighting stance. "You have to be provoked. Think of somethin' that really derails you, then imagine me being the thing that pissed you off."

_Aw crap. _I laughed nervously. "Um, I'd rather not."

"Why? Just try it!" He waited expectantly and waved his hands around.

I sighed. He had a point, because even though I wasn't outwardly aggressive, if provoked badly enough, I knew I could become aggressive.

"Okay, gimme a second." I stomped my feet and swung my arms around to loosen up, and closed my eyes. _What pisses me off? _Not a whole lot of things. I was generally a happy person, preferring to keep the negative things inside because the world did not need another angry, unapproachable person walking around. _Although, I'm sure people have their reasons to be that way, I'd just rather not._

"I'm trying to think," I whispered. I'd learned to be optimistic from Noah, because he'd always looked on the positive side of everything. _Noah…_the sorceress: Edea, she'd called herself. I flung my eyes open, because I didn't know which image of hers to focus on. The woman from my dream, or the inappropriately dressed sorceress who'd caused me to crash my car and sent me to this world without my body? _The second one, definitely. _The dream-Edea had been too timid, kind even.

I faced Zell, and instead of focusing on his casual smile, I pictured Edea's sneer and glinting tawny eyes. _First, hit her in the stomach._ Suddenly, I was facing her standing on that balcony, her arms held out at her sides expectantly, her legs bent in a crouch, but it was her eyes that got to me the most. _Mocking, cruel, superior when she drawled out my name. _I ran towards her and jammed a knee into her stomach before she could make a move. She buckled and I took the moment to throw a punch into her face. She tried to block me, but I sidestepped her and pinned both of her arms at her back.

_You could so easily just snap her neck._ I slowly brought my hands to rest along the sides of her face, and felt a little bit of stubble. _Just a quick flick, and she could be dead. _I clawed my fingers around the ears.

Wait a minute. _Stubble? _"No!" I immediately released Zell and stepped back, my breathing shallow and uneven. I rested a hand on the railing to keep myself from falling to the ground.

"Whoa, someone really piss you off, huh?" his voice was casual, but I was looking at the floor and couldn't see his expression.

I nodded. "Sorry," I whispered as I slowly looked up to meet his eyes.

He waved a hand in the air nonchalantly. "Nah! That worked great!" His smile was wide and proud.

I released the breath I'd been holding as realization came to me. I broke out into a grin. "Oh wow, it did! I was totally picturing you as Ed-" I shut my mouth and cleared my throat, "as someone who provokes me." I scratched the back of my head. "But, um, can we stop?"

He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and nodded silently. He moved beside me and leaned back onto the railing once more. "Now you can show up your brother huh?" He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows.

I laughed and shoved him. "Yeah, I guess."

"You guess? I thought I was a goner the way you were looking at me!"

I pulled at Izzy's braid and grinned apologetically. _I have to tone it down next time._ Next time? There probably wouldn't be a next time. My heart sank a little. Of course I couldn't wait to get back home, but I had grown rather fond of everyone, especially Zell and Quistis.

"…Always wanted a brother," Zell said wistfully. I faced him, guiltily realizing that he'd been saying something and I hadn't been listening.

"Really? Are you an only child?" I asked, hoping that he hadn't mentioned so already.

Zell nodded, and I released the breath I'd been holding. _That would have been a buzz kill._ "Then Ma wouldn't be alone when I went off to Garden." He stared straight ahead, but I could still see his furrowed brows.

I looked at him thoughtfully, thinking of what to say, when a sudden thud made us both jump. I turned my head to the left to see a shadow in the darkness.

Zell gasped in pain and looked down. I followed his gaze and immediately uncurled my fingers from around his elbow, which I'd grasped out of being startled. "Sorry!"

"What are you two doing? Everyone's waiting." Squall stepped out of the shadow, fully dressed in his usual black pants with way too many belts, one of which served as a sort of holder for his gunblade. Something around his neck glimmered silver against the black of his zipped-up leather jacket.

"Morning!" I chirped, before pushing myself away from the railing.

"Yo, Squall! What time is it?" asked Zell.

Squall checked his watch. "6:30, we're to assemble at the front gate in half an hour." With that, he turned around and pushed himself through the glass door.

Zell and I followed him quietly.

"Thanks, Squall," I said with a smile at Squall, who held the glass door open.

Squall nodded, but didn't respond. _It wouldn't exactly kill him to smile._ But I didn't say the sentiment out loud, as I didn't need to give him a reason to get pissed. He seemed to be in a good mood, although with Squall, I couldn't be sure.

"Well, see ya guys!" exclaimed Zell as he bumbled inside his room.

I waved before walking off to catch up with Squall. "Hey, Squall."

He stopped walking but didn't turn around. I stepped next to him and he faced me. "What?" he asked, not unkindly.

I tugged on my hair a little. "I just wanted to make sure you were cool with everything."

He slightly narrowed his dark blue eyes and opened his mouth, but then closed it, as if reconsidering.

"Well?" I asked.

He sighed and put a hand on his hip. "Okay, I'll tell you." he paused to gauge my expression before continuing, "Do you actually have a plan of action?"

I nodded, "Well, sort of, I-"

Squall shook his head. "I mean, really. Do you know what exactly you're going to do once we get to Deling City? How are you going to approach the sorceress? Do you have any of that thought out?"

"What are you trying to say?" I asked, bemused at the sudden array of questions.

He shifted his weight before continuing, "I don't think you know how dangerous this mission is. More importantly, you don't even have a plan of action. You depend on the rest of us to figure things out, but at the end of it, none of us are gonna be able to do anything for you. We only go according to the SeeD mission." He released a breath, having said all that too fast.

I just stared at him, and for a second, inappropriately thought that this was the most I'd ever heard him speak. I shook my head. "We don't know the mission details yet, so we'll come up with a plan once we do."

"You can't just depend on us the whole time."

His words were like a slap on the face and I took a step back from him. My mouth had sunk to the floor, because I couldn't understand why he was saying this to me now, when he could have told me way earlier so I wouldn't have come to Galbadia Garden in the first place.

When I didn't answer, Squall's face softened somewhat. "Sorry, I guess that was kind of harsh."

I shook my head lightly. "Listen, I can't help how you feel, but I'm not the one who forced you to have me be part of the group, although I'm really grateful for it. If you'd said this sooner, I would have gone off on my own, instead of sticking around."

He shook his head and looked at me with an expression that was somewhat pained, "Look, you just have to realize it's going to be a difficult mission, and that the mission takes priority over everything else."

I nodded. "I won't get in your way if that's what you're worried about. But Izzy will need you guys,"

Squall opened his mouth to speak, but I put my hand up.

"You don't have to give a crap about me, but Izzy is your classmate, maybe not your friend, but someone who belongs to the same place you do. So hell yes you should give a crap about her, and be there to help her when she needs it. She might be in danger, do you get that?"

For a few seconds he just stared at me, his face stoic, but his eyes revealing what I could only assume was surprise. "What's the point of depending on other people?" he finally asked.

My initial response was to laugh, because the question was so bizarre to me. I stifled it with a cough, wondering what to say to that. We both stared at each other, and I could see that he actually expected me to answer his question. "Because," I whispered, "because if we can't depend on other people, we end up alone and miserable."

One dark brown eyebrow shot up, and Squall scrutinized me with an intense look before stepping toward the other end of the hall.

I shook my head and stepped in front of him. "Wait, Squall," I lay my hands on his shoulders to stop him. "Why would you ask me that?" I asked, with the twisted idea that he would actually tell me.

Wordlessly, he looked down at my hand on his shoulders, and I let go. It felt wrong to physically touch him.

He made to side step me, and his necklace glinted from the movement, drawing my gaze. The locket was a silver ring with the face of a lion engraved at the front, hanging delicately from a thin silver chain.

I stopped him again. "That ring, where did you get it?"

"What?"

I looked up into his eyes. "Your ring. Where did you get it?" I whispered more slowly.

His eyes widened, as if what I'd said shocked him. He shuffled out of my hold and answered, "I've always had it."

I looked back at the ring: glinting and silvery, the lion's face carved so perfectly, I marveled at the precision of the features.

"What's your problem?" Squall asked.

I tore my eyes from the ring and met Squall's dark blue ones. "Are there more like it? Or is that the only one?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I've never seen another one like it, but I don't know where I got it. Why are you so infatuated by my ring?" His gaze suddenly turned suspicious, his lips pursed as if he didn't approve of my behaviour. He tucked the ring inside his jacket so it was hidden from view.

I snapped out of the trance the ring had inflicted, and blinked several times. "Um, no reason," I said hastily. "Well, I'm gonna go get changed. See ya!" I called as I jogged away and burst through the door to my room.

_That ring… it was the same one that little girl, Aria, gave me in my dream._ I took a few deep breaths as I leaned against the closed door. Why did I react that way? Squall had been right; it was as if I'd become suddenly infatuated, _and majorly creeped him out in the process._

I peeled myself away from the door. Thankfully, the room was empty. Quistis must have gone with the rest. _It's only because I dreamt about it._ So what? I'd just gotten freaked out because of the dream, and then seeing the object in real life. I shook my head of the building questions of why and started to make the bed. Our laundry had been returned, and Izzy's clothes sat in a bag next to the bed. _Quistis must have put them there._ I made a mental note to thank her later.

I pulled the bag open and started to change, putting all thoughts of the dream out of my head.

_There's only one way to go._ And hell would freeze over before I let my chance slip out of my hands this time.

* * *

Please review! Would love to see your opinions on this chapter. Thanks in advance :)


	18. Stress Test

A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting, and alerting! It means more to me than you guys know, and keeps me motivated to keep writing! Also, constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated :)

After getting dressed in Izzy's now clean clothes, I stuffed all her possessions in her beige shoulder bag and reluctantly closed the door behind me; I hated having to leave the guest room. The rest of the morning was spent in a general uproar of excitement and stress.

At first, I'd gotten distracted during breakfast by the sunrise that was beautifully visible through the cafeteria windows. Off in the distance, the sun shimmered up through the plateaus that surrounded one side of Galbadia Garden. Zell had to drag me away from the view, and I'd burned my tongue trying to scarf down my tea.

"We're gonna be late!" he hissed as I glared at him.

Next, Zell spent ten minutes trying to find the draw point that lay tucked beneath the beam of light that extended from the middle of the lobby, when finally Siren informed me that it was a hidden draw point, and that she was the only one with the move-find ability. Zell nearly had a fit of rage trying to extract the magic before I explained to him that he couldn't.

"Just get it from me later," I said over my shoulder as I bent down to draw the haste spells.

By the time we reached the front door, both of us were slightly out of breath, and the group was already huddled in front of the open golden gates.

"Made it right on time," Zell whispered as we approached the group.

_We're totally late…_

After the 'Good morning's and 'hello's were exchanged, Quistis cleared her throat to draw everyone's attention. "We're taking the train to Deling City. There's one leaving in about an hour." She turned to Squall, "We should stock up on items."

Squall nodded, but before he could speak-

"The closest item shop is at the train station," Irvine interrupted.

Squall frowned at Irvine before stepping out of the gates. "Then let's get going."

There was a stone pathway next to the road that led into the train station. Every now and again, the sound of a car zooming by would interrupt the constant stream of chatter, followed by a cloud of dust. Other than that, the area was dry and desert-like, and I couldn't see a tree for miles. The air was dusty, but because of the early hour, it wasn't blistering hot.

Squall and Rinoa led the way down the stone pathway, and I caught up to walk next to Quistis behind them.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked when she noticed my presence.

She grinned and a faint dimple appeared on her right cheek. "Fine, but where did you disappear off to?"

I shrugged, "Couldn't sleep, bad dream."

Quistis sent Squall a fleeting look before putting a hand over the side of her mouth. "Did you dream about the sorceress again?" she whispered.

I nodded. "It's not a big deal though," I lied, "After this mission, she won't be able to do anything to anybody."

Quistis watched me for a few seconds, her blond eyebrows furrowed in a worried expression. She brushed her long golden bangs behind her ears before folding her arms in front of her chest. "This is the first assassination mission for everyone," she said, facing ahead. "With the leader having the most responsibility and stress."

I followed her gaze to the back of Squall's head, and then looked back at Quistis. She bit her bottom lip a little, her eyes showing a hint of disappointment. Then I remembered that Quistis and Squall had been in the training center after the party, in the 'secret area,' as Nida had called it. "You guys have a history," I blurted my thoughts out loud.

Quistis turned to me, looking surprised at my statement.

I could feel myself blushing, "You don't have to respond to that."

She shook her head. "Squall, Seifer, and I joined Garden around the same time. They're- they were both orphans, and the three of us sort of always gravitated towards each other."

I sent Squall a glance. "Really? I thought Seifer and Squall were always fighting and stuff."

Quistis smiled rather wistfully, "They did, but there was always this mutual respect between them," she paused and put a hand to her chin. "And I usually broke them up before things got too out of hand." She looked back at Squall. "I feel bad for Seifer though. He was a screw-up, but…"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by a speeding yellow truck. She didn't repeat herself and kept her gaze in front of her.

I diverted my attention back to Squall, suddenly feeling bad for snapping at him earlier. I remembered how upset he'd gotten over Seifer's execution. I'd completely pegged him as someone who didn't care about anyone but himself. _Just because you think he doesn't care about you doesn't mean he doesn't care about other people._ My stomach dropped. After all, he'd only been looking out for the team, right? And I was an outsider; someone who he thought may jeopardize his team's safety.

'_**But he didn't have to treat you the way he did.**_' Siren suddenly commented.

'_I know… but that's just his lack of social skills. He's not heartless,'_ And he'd been way nicer before the assassination mission was given. Maybe he was stressed about having to kill the sorceress. I mean, the guy had just become SeeD, and he already had to _kill _someone.

My stomach rumbled in guilt. _Maybe I shouldn't be so judgy towards him. _I mean, it wasn't like I was innocent either; I could get pretty annoying sometimes. _Hard to admit, but true._ I shook the thoughts away and vowed not to take Squall's disdain so personally.

Soon enough, we reached the train station, which was marked by calligraphy on a large slab of stone. We followed the set of stone stairs that led up to an outdoor lobby or sorts, where an item shop was housed in the corner. Yet another set of stairs led up to the train platform, which at the moment was empty.

'_**Except you're still cute when you're annoying,'**_ Siren chirped in response to my earlier revelation.

Ifrit let out a growling laugh, _**'Of course you'd say that, you're supposed to tolerate it.'**_

Siren retorted to Ifrit in her high-pitched voice, and their conversation soon turned into bickering. I didn't bother to butt in; I was getting quite used to tuning them out when they talked to each other.

"Well, we're pretty good on time," Quistis said, sitting down on one of the numerous benches along the wall. I sat down next to her and leaned back into the hard surface. There were a couple of Galbadia Garden students on the bench at the other corner, seemingly having an intense conversation. A few trees were planted here and there, their leaves swinging in the breeze and sending leaf patterned shadows shuffling to the granite-tiled ground. I breathed in the smell of sand and wood and looked around at the others.

It seemed that Irvine was trying to convince Squall to split into two groups.

I sat up straighter and watched as Irvine took Selphie and Rinoa by their hands. "How about this for a party?" I heard him say.

Squall was turned away from me so I couldn't see his reaction, but he did shake his head, "Yeah, whatever."

At this, Rinoa wrenched her arm away from Irvine's hold and puffed up in anger. "Definitely not!" she screeched.

If I were Squall, I would have cowered at Rinoa's anger, but Squall just waved a hand in the air. "We all stay together."

"What's Kinneas trying to do?" Quistis whispered from next to me.

I turned my attention to Irvine. He flicked the rim of his hat and smirked. "Whatever you say, man," he drawled, before he sat down next to the Galbadian students on the other side of the platform.

"What are we gonna do about _him?_" Zell asked as he pointed his thumb at Irvine, obviously vexed at the latter's display.

We all turned to Squall, as if expecting an answer from him.

He sighed and put a hand on his hip. "Just ignore him until the mission is over."

_Objection!_ I wanted to say, but I didn't. Maybe Irvine had been mistaken about knowing everyone. _He said they went way back._ But hadn't Quistis said that Squall was an orphan? So did they grow up at an orphanage? How was that even possible? I remembered going to Zell's house, and we all met his mother. Quistis had also mentioned having a family. I didn't know much about Selphie's past, but she'd mentioned growing up in Trabia. So either Irvine was lying, _which doesn't seem likely,_ or he was very, very confused, because no one else seemed to recognize him at all.

I gasped. _Maybe he's psychologically disturbed and actually believes something that isn't true?_ That thought brought a fresh wave of sympathy for Irvine. He just wanted to belong, and here everyone was, alienating him. I shook my head. Whatever the reason was, it really wasn't my place to say anything about the matter, especially because Irvine didn't want to talk about it.

'_**Just focus on what you have to do,'**_ Ifrit's comment pulled me back to reality.

Siren sighed, _**'Unfortunately, I have to agree with him.'**_

Ifrit drowned whatever I'd been thinking by roaring, _**'what do you mean unfortunately? Let's not forget that I'm the one-'**_

'_**Oh please!'**_ screeched Siren.

The constant bickering was starting to give me a headache. _'Give it a rest or I'll give one of you to the mentally unstable cowboy!'_

Silence.

I shook my head and let out a sigh of relief. _Damn straight_ I thought, feeling rather proud of myself for shutting up the two mighty beasts in my head.

"… It isn't that bad," Selphie's voice floated over to me.

I blinked and looked at her sitting beside me, confused as to why she was frowning. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was saying how nice it is out here, and you just shook your head,"

"Oh, no!" I let out a short laugh. "I was shaking my head at Ifrit and Siren fighting."

Selphie smiled and nodded in understanding. "That must be super annoying!"

'_I hope you guys heard that'_ No response.

"Oh yeah? What about when they nag you for thinking 'bout bad things?" Zell piped up.

I laughed. What 'bad things' he was referring to, I didn't think I wanted to know, but soon the conversation segued into what GFs each person had.

"I wish Quezacotl talked more to me!" Selphie exclaimed, "He just sort of pipes in randomly during battle."

Zell stared at her. "Are you kiddin', I can't get Diablos to shut up 'bout the time he kicked my ass in the lamp!" he paused to roll his eyes, "And there he goes again."

_What the?_ "That is the most bizarre thing I've ever heard," I said, and judging by the look on Quistis' face, she shared my sentiments.

At this, Selphie burst out laughing, her gravity-defying hair bouncing up and down as her shoulders shook. "It's really not as weird as it sounds," she said, then launched into an explanation of how Zell had acquired Diablos. "Before the Timber mission, Cid gave us a magical lamp."

"Yeah, I thought there'd be a genie in there, but nooo," Zell interrupted.

"Wait, like in Aladdin?" I asked excitedly.

There was a brief silence. I could visualize tumbleweed rolling across the ground like in cartoons.

"Anyway! When we rubbed it, we were blasted into Diablos' lair!" Selphie continued, clearly enjoying that everyone had huddled around to listen. "Blackness surrounded by darkness, it was like being in an underground world, the world of the dead!" She held her arms out dramatically. "And suddenly! There was a crimson void! We thought it was a way out, but through it appeared," she paused for effect.

"The Devil himself!" Zell exclaimed. "Diablos!"

Selphie whacked Zell over his head. "Hey! I'm telling the story!"

Zell rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything.

Selphie continued, "We thought we were done for! But Diablos promised to join our party if we beat him. How could we refuse?" She paused to look around at the group, smiled at seeing everyone paying attention, and continued, "Gravija!" she cried dramatically, "We were painfully compressed in our bodies. The pain was brutal, but we carried on. We had to win this fight!" she took a deep breath.

"'Draw-cast!' Squall commanded, and the rest of us followed his lead as we drew Gravija spells from the beast. It was working! Because by some miracle, Diablos was getting weaker. But it came with a price, because every time we hit Diablos, he would counter with physical attacks that knocked Squall straight out of the battle!"

At this, I turned to see Squall's reaction. He had none as he watched Selphie stoically.

"But we weren't at a total loss. I reached my limit, and sent a barrage of Demis flying at out opponent! He weakened, but it was going to take a lot more than magic to take him out."

"That's when I came to the rescue!" Zell interrupted, with a proud smile lighting up his face.

"What did you do?" Rinoa whispered, as enthralled by the story as I was.

Zell nodded at Selphie to continue.

"Booya!" Selphie declared. "Zell was the weakest, but his limit break was stronger than mine. Quick as a bullet, he zoomed around the devil, throwing complicated punches and kicks, so quickly I couldn't keep my eyes on him.

"And finally, the words we'd all been waiting for: 'I'll join you,' Diablos whispered from the ground, too weak to stand up. And we were finally granted escape from Diablos' underworld, victorious and proudly adding a new Guardian Force to our team." Selphie finished the story in a whisper and smiled around at the group.

I was the first to speak, "Wow!"

Rinoa nodded. "You guys are so brave!"

"And Selphie's an amazing story teller," Irvine added. He'd joined our group halfway through the story, and now watched Selphie, impressed.

The rest of us nodded in agreement, even Squall.

Selphie beamed around at us, blushing furiously, but looking quite pleased with herself.

The sound of an electrical engine sliced through the air and introduced the train that was just pulling into the station. We all bought tickets, _500 gil seems a bit high,_ and piled inside the empty compartment.

I immediately went over to the opposite wall and leaned my elbows on the window ledge. After the door snapped shut behind Squall, he waited for everyone to settle down before sliding open the hallway door for Selphie.

"You caught on!" Selphie squealed, giving Squall her brightest smile. She skipped through the door in a blur of sunshine yellow before it slid closed behind her.

For a while, everyone stood around quietly as the train rumbled into movement. I turned to Zell, who was standing closest to me, but he was watching Irvine with suspicion, and his sentiment became quite clear when the next second Irvine muttered some cryptic words about fate, marched towards the hallway door, slid it open, and slipped out with a swish of his coat.

"Uh…" I started.

"You should go check on Selphie, Squall," Quistis said.

Squall nodded and disappeared through the door.

"I don't trust that guy!" Zell suddenly exclaimed.

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. Irvine didn't seem that bad. "What do you have against him?" I asked. "He's clearly not right in the head."

Rinoa put a hand on her mouth and giggled, "What?"

_Aw crap, I shouldn't say things like that out loud. _I shook my head. "Okay, I didn't mean that. But he seems completely harmless."

_Whoosh!_ The door to the compartment slid open once more and Irvine popped out. He looked around the suddenly quiet room and upon seeing Rinoa standing alone, went straight to her. For a few seconds, he just scrutinized her with a hand on his chin.

Rinoa cleared her throat and looked away from his gaze.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Irvine finally asked.

_Talk about lame pick-up lines._ But my amusement was short lived. Irvine watched Rinoa without a hint of a smirk on his face, as if he was actually being genuine.

Rinoa turned away from him, her arms crossed against her chest. "N-no, we've never met."

_Why is she getting so uncomfortable?_

Irvine tried to catch her gaze again. "Rinoa…" he said the name like a question and furrowed his eyebrows.

Rinoa promptly stepped as far away from him as she could. I looked around, but no one had caught that odd display of nervousness from Rinoa. I mean, she wasn't exactly a shy little flower, so why was Irvine making her so nervous?

I didn't get a chance to say any of that out loud, however, what with Quistis yelling at Irvine to behave himself, and Zell looking like he would explode.

"No one understands me…" Irvine said dramatically. "Sharpshooters are loners by nature." He tipped his cowboy hat.

At this point, Squall had re-entered the cabin and we all watched the scene unfold with bemusement.

Irvine continued in a low voice, "We hone our instincts, pour our whole being into a single bullet." He walked into an unoccupied corner, his head downcast. "The pressure of the moment, an instant of tension; that's what I have to face alone."

_Is he serious? _I was starting to rethink my "Irvine is confused" theory to "Irvine is bloody insane!" What was up with the sudden change in mood? _Oh my God, he really is emotionally unstable!_

When no one responded, Irvine looked around dramatically. "So like, just do me a favour and let me be!" He crossed his arms and leaned back into the wall, but not before sending a not-so-subtle wink at Rinoa and Quistis.

Quistis rolled her eyes. Rinoa let out a shocked gasp. Squall just stared, wearing his usual bored expression. I didn't know how to react, because on one side, I wanted to sympathize with Irvine, him being mentally unstable and all, but another part of me wondered why he was acting like a complete moron.

"You get my drift?" Irvine added into the silence and smirked cheekily.

I shook my head. I couldn't believe I'd thought he was being sincere.

Zell bent down and punched the floor in frustration, causing the entire compartment to shake.

I grabbed onto the window ledge. "What the-"

DING. "There was no damage to the train from that, err, minor vibration," the announcer's voice over the speakers sounded nervous and shaky. "I, uh, repeat, there was no damage from that, err, minor vibration."

Everyone stared at Zell with identical, wide-eyed looks.

Zell stood up and smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Whoops," he whispered.

_I hope I never piss him off._ He'd caused the train to shake!

The door to the compartment slid open yet again and Selphie bounded inside, her eyes wide and concerned. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Zell exclaimed quickly.

Raising her eyebrows skeptically, Selphie turned to Squall for an explanation.

Squall shook his head. "It was nothing. Anyway, we should be reaching Deling City pretty soon. Is everyone prepared to meet General Caraway?"

_What, does he mean presentable?_ Instinctively, I smoothed out Izzy's wavy hair.

My question remained unspoken as a general murmur of agreement went around the group. Selphie slipped back out, and Quistis and Rinoa started talking to each other.

I turned to look out of the window. Sure enough, we were approaching a city that broke the monotony of the desert that surrounded it. Buildings shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight, and I could faintly make out a tall arch-like structure in the middle. Highways intersected and dispersed away from the city, probably leading to the other cities and towns of Galbadia. It was rather odd that the city was so disconnected by other cities, instead surrounded by plains and farming areas. I immediately thought of Canada, specifically the Toronto area, where major cities were all clustered together so that if you drove down a highway, you would be able to pass all of them. It was rather refreshing to see so much nature.

"Can't believe what we're gonna be doing here tomorrow," Zell's voice floated over and broke into my thoughts.

I turned my face towards him in surprise, not having realized he'd joined me at the window. "This is your first assassination mission," I said.

He nodded at the window.

"Nervous?" I asked.

He turned to me then, wearing a grin that reached his eyes and made them sparkle. "Are you kiddin'?" He rubbed his tattoo with a gloved hand. "More like, excited!"

I couldn't help but break out into a smile. "Excited about danger?"

"Hell yeah!" He turned back to the window. "Kinda cool that Cid picked us for such an important mission."

"It's because he trusts that we won't mess it up."

Zell and I turned around to face Squall, who, without either of us noticing, had been listening to our conversation.

"Yeah! And I'm psyched!" Zell punched the air enthusiastically.

I sent Squall an amused grin, but he kept his gaze carefully trained on Zell and wouldn't meet mine. _Is he ignoring me on purpose?_ In a subtle motion, Squall tucked his chain inside his shirt, and I immediately looked away from him. What did he think I was going to do, rip off the chain and snatch his ring? _Even if I did, where would I go?_ A train wasn't really the ideal place to commit petty theft.

_Well, after the fiasco this morning, how do you expect him to react?_ I guiltily looked back out of the window, wondering whether or not to apologize to Squall about acting that way. _Like I even know what I'd be apologizing for. _In truth, I now couldn't recall why I'd freaked out over it. _It's just 'cus you saw it in your dream, it was unexpected. _

I released a deep breath and concentrated on the approaching city. _There's enough on my plate to be worrying about Squall's ring anyway. _

Zell started talking to Squall, something about weapon upgrades, but I soon tuned them out.

The train approached a tunnel, over which hung a sign stating our destination: Deling City Station.

The sunlit view outside the window was suddenly obstructed by the walls of the tunnel, and the window became a mirror. I watched Izzy's reflection stare back at me; wide-eyed and hopeful, because I finally felt like there was a way out of here. _I mean, I've grown fond of everyone and gotten a bit used to the strangeness of it, but still…_there truly was no place like home, and being away from it was starting to become unbearable.

"Caraway's mansion, right? We just take bus number eight," declared Rinoa as we stepped out of the train station.

"Hey! Let's check out the city first!" Selphie exclaimed as she looked around longingly. She turned to Squall with big, hopeful eyes.

Squall put a hand on his hip and looked down, as if considering the request.

_Even Squall can't resist Selphie's puppy-dog eyes. _

But apparently, he could.

"We should go see General Caraway first," he said while flashing Selphie an apologetic grimace (Selphie having deflated at his words), and stepped down towards the road.

Conveniently, the bus stop was located right in front of us, and we all followed Squall's lead and piled around the stop.

Cars and people bustled around the roads and sidewalks, seeming to be going everywhere and nowhere at all. _Ah, the city life. _The air was smoggy and smelled like a mixture of dust, pollution, and fuel, even though the roads were quite well kept.

Everyone stood around quietly as we waited for the bus to arrive. But the busy noises of the city masked the silence between us. Everyone seemed to be eating up the city with their eyes. Everyone except Rinoa, who seemed rather uncomfortable and kept her gaze downcast. _She probably hates the city or something._

There was an intersecting road that led off from where we waited; tree-lined and wide. I figured it led to the City Center, because in the distance I could see a tall, arched structure with carvings on it that I couldn't make out from my spot. I squinted, and realized the arch was actually a gate, open for vehicles that passed beneath it to go to the other side of the city.

The intersection was a roundabout, and in the center of it was a shimmering fountain made of parts of glass that sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.

The bus arrived then, and we lined up next to the attendant when he announced Caraway's Mansion as the destination. It looked more like a tour bus than a transit bus to me, what with the barred, glass-free windows and a little platform at the end of it.

We piled inside the noisy, crowded vehicle, and it took off down the road. I looked around nervously, taking in the musky smell that always seems to be in crowded spaces. I could feel myself start to sweat.

"Uh, Rinoa?" I shuffled myself around to face her. "How long is this ride?"

"About fifteen minutes," she replied, and sat down in the unoccupied seat between Quistis and Squall.

_Okay, fifteen minutes isn't so bad,_ I told myself, but after about five minute of standing amongst strangers in business suits and screaming children, and I could feel my breathing shorten and my head spin. I wanted to jump out of the nearest window and stay as far as I could from any cramped, crowded place.

"Hey, Natasha," Zell said as he poked me in the arm. "Let's go look outside." He pointed towards the end of the bus, where a little metal platform stuck out.

I nodded silently and followed him and Selphie through the crowd and out into the fresh air. I grabbed the handrail and took a few deep breaths before turning to face the other two.

"Look at these houses!" Selphie exclaimed.

We'd entered a suburban area, where the road was lined with huge, expensive looking estates, each surrounded by either gates or hedges. Before I even had a chance to fully admire the front of one house, another, more beautiful one would follow it.

Zell leaned over the railing and put his arms out dramatically. "I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" he yelled.

This drew some attention from the other passengers. Specifically, a young, teenaged girl, who watched Zell with what could only be described as amused admiration.

The bus suddenly jerked and Zell nearly toppled over.

"Hey!" Selphie cried as the two of us grabbed him and pulled him back to the floor.

After pulling himself together, Zell scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously.

"Still king of the world, Leonardo?"

Understandably, this garnered some strange looks from Zell and Selphie. _He totally made a Titanic reference and doesn't even know it._

A girlish giggle was suddenly heard. We all turned to look at the short, curly-haired brunette who had been watching us for quite some time now. She sent a shy smile at Zell and briefly looked him up and down before turning away, blushing furiously.

Zell gazed at the girl, looking somewhat confused.

Selphie and I shared a smirk. "Well, I'm gonna go back!" Selphie chirped and motioned for me to follow.

"Yup! Me too!" I stepped in the doorway.

"Wait for me!" exclaimed Zell.

I immediately turned around and lay my hands on his chest to stop him. "No, no, you stay out here!"

"What! Why?"

"Uh… you could use the fresh air!" I gently shoved him backwards, flipped around, and went back inside the bus.

Thankfully, it was less crowded than before, and there were even some empty seats available. I sat down next to a snickering Selphie.

"Is he talking to her?" she asked, her moss-green eyes alight with mayhem.

I craned my neck to check, and could catch glimpses of Zell and the brunette. Zell seemed rather uncomfortable by what she was saying to him.

Selphie wouldn't stop giggling. "Don't tell me he's shy around girls," she whispered.

I laughed. "No way! He is?"

We watched from our spot on the train as Zell scratched the back of his head, his face turning pink. The girl was partly hidden from view.

_Guess he is kinda shy._

"You ladies mind telling me what's so funny?" Irvine had slipped in the seat beside Selphie.

Selphie and I pointed to the end of the bus.

Irvine squinted. "What's so interesting about Zell?" he asked, bemused.

I turned to see Zell walking towards us with a disgruntled frown.

"What happened?" I asked when he approached.

He scowled at me, then at Selphie. "You left me alone with that chick!"

"So? She was cute!" Selphie answered.

"A cute girl?" Irvine craned his neck to look out.

"CUTE?" Zell screamed. "Do you know what she asked me?"

"What?"

"If I wanted to join the dancing team for some parade happening tomorrow!"

I had the audacity to ask, "So? What's wrong with-"

"IT'S AN ALL GIRLS DANCE TEAM!"

There was a silence during which Irvine, Selphie, and I avoided looking at each other.

"Then why'd she ask you?" I managed to ask with a straight face.

Zell frowned. "Because apparently I have the perfect physique…" he trailed off and glared at the rest of us.

That was the breaking point, and Selphie, Irvine and I burst out laughing. Irvine clutched his stomach and slapped his knee. Selphie and I collapsed on each other in a hysterical fit of giggles.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Zell flexed his fists now and his face turned an unflattering shade of scarlet.

Gasping, I wiped a tear from my eye. "S-sorry, you're right. It's not funny," I choked out.

"It kinda is," Irvine felt the need to add, and started guffawing again.

Selphie unsuccessfully tried to hide her snicker behind her hands.

At this point, Zell looked absolutely murderous.

"Hey, we honestly thought she was into you!" Selphie exclaimed in a feeble attempt to calm him down.

Zell clicked his tongue impatiently. "Whatever. Aren't we at Caraway's place yet?"

The bus driver answered his question by announcing that the next stop was indeed Caraway's Mansion.

The bus came to a complete stop right in front of the largest house on the street. We all piled out, with a fuming Zell leading the way.

Trimmed hedges surrounded the mansion as some kind of a fence, over which only the roof of the house was visible. Rinoa was one of the first to walk down the pathway towards the little opening in the hedges, where a security guard stood rigidly to block trespassers. He looked at us haughtily before Squall stepped up to speak to him.

"We're here to see General Caraway," he declared in his formal baritone voice.

The guard gave Squall a once-over before saying, "The mansion is right through this gate."

Squall took a step forward.

The guard put a hand up and sneered, "I can't just let you walk in."

"He's been informed of our arrival," Squall retorted.

At this, the guard grinned. "Indeed, but I was ordered not to let you through until your skills have been tested."

Confused looks were exchanged. Rinoa mentioned something about Caraway not trusting people, to which no one responded. I'd probably misheard her.

Squall sighed. "Test our skills? What does he want us to do?" he asked.

The guard smirked. "The Tomb of the Unknown King."

Rinoa gasped rather dramatically.

"All you have to do is go there," he continued, "But you have to bring back proof that you were there; a code number."

I watched Rinoa from the corner of my eye. She was full out scowling at the guard now. "All the way out here for a test of courage?" she demanded.

"She's going to get us into trouble," Quistis hissed from next to me.

I nodded and diverted my attention back to the guard.

"There was a student from Galbadia Garden who didn't return from his test yesterday," he continued, ignoring Rinoa's scoff. "The Tomb of the Unknown King is located northeast of the city. Your objective is to go there, look for the traces of this student, and bring back his ID number."

I shuddered. _Traces? _Why was the guard so casual talking like that?

"I don't recommend going further than you have to," he said ominously.

At this, Squall sighed and turned around to face us. "Well, let's go then."

"Wait!" The guard looked around at our group. "This team is too big."

"What?" Squall asked.

The guard nodded forcefully. "It shouldn't take more than three people for this task. You're the leader?"

Squall looked at Quistis, then nodded.

"Pick two of your comrades to go with you. The rest of you will have another assignment."

_I don't like the sounds of this splitting up business._

Squall was now looking around at the group, sizing each person up. Finally, he made his decision. "Rinoa and Zell."

"Good, here's a map of the Tomb," the guard handed Squall a piece of paper.

Squall looked at the thick sheet for a few seconds before nodding at Zell and Rinoa. "Let's move out," he said, and the three of them stepped out into the street. Rinoa and Zell waved before they followed Squall out of sight.

Next, the guard turned to the rest of us.

Quistis was the first to speak up, "What's our assignment?"

The guard smiled in a smug way. "Along the northeast coast of the Tomb, there's a cliff. Under that cliff is an underwater cave. You are to retrieve something from there; a monument."

"That's it?" I blurted.

The guard turned to me and sneered. "It's quite dangerous down there, a lot of high level monsters."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It really seemed like he was just trying to scare us.

"What does the monument look like?" Irvine asked.

"It'll have the Galbadia symbol on it. You'll know it once you see it."

_Can you be any more vague?_ But I bit my tongue.

The guard reached into the inner pocket of his coat. "If you're not back in twenty-four hours, we'll assume that you've failed."

He handed Quistis a rolled-up piece of paper. "This is a map of the general area. The cliff is marked so you'll have no trouble finding it."

Quistis thanked the guard and we all huddled around on the sidewalk outside the hedges.

"We should stock up on some more items before we depart. Who knows how long we'll be out there," Quistis declared.

Irvine ended up being the undisputed leader of our crew, as he was the one who knew his way around the best.

We took another bus to the shopping district, which was a single street lined with stores and boutiques. People bustled around the shops, carrying bags and moving in large crowds. The bus stopped right in front of a building marked 'Junk Shop.' I looked around with wonder, wanting to go to all the shops just to see what was for sale. _But we probably don't have time for that._

The four of us piled out into the street.

_What now? _

"Alright," Quistis said as we huddled. "Selphie, you and Irvine get stocked up on items, then meet us at the junk shop." She turned to me, "Natasha, you can buy a new weapon at the junk shop."

I gulped and nodded.

"Wait," Irvine interjected. "I need to remodel."

Quistis considered him for a few moments, "Okay, you go with Natasha, we'll meet you two there."

With a wave, they walked off down the street.

"Let's go, cowboy." I led the way into the shop.

The glare of metal was the first thing I noticed, followed by the rows and rows of knives that were displayed on the wall.

"Yes?" said a nasal voice. The shopkeeper was a stout, round man with stubby arms, and way too much facial hair. He looked like one of those typical biker dudes that you see in motorcycle insurance commercials or something.

For a while I stared, but Irvine didn't seem at all intimidated by the man. He marched right up to him, took out his shotgun, and started talking about barrels, and magazines, and other stuff I had no idea about.

'_**You should check out some weapons, Natasha,' **_said Siren.

I nodded and gulped. Did I even know how to use a weapon? I hadn't even used that stupid knife yet, for goodness sakes!

_Okay…_I walked up to a glass cabinet containing all sorts of small, sharp objects. There were rows of ninja stars, scythes, and daggers that I was sure I would cut myself with if I even tried using them. I shook my head and walked over to the next display.

My eyes went wide, because at first it looked like whatever was inside the glass case was on fire. Then I realized that it was a weapon, specifically a gunblade. The handle part of it was plain, charcoal black, and slim with a silver trigger. The real beauty of the piece, though, was its blade. Neither resembling metal nor stone, the cascading blades of scarlet looked like flames rising out of thin, black tube. It really was a beautiful thing, and I marveled that its use was to harm, rather than for show.

'_**Alright, that's enough admiration of the gunblade,' **_Ifrit snapped me out of my daze.

"Right, focus." I had to find a weapon.

I spun around to find Squall walking up to the gunblade display. "Oh, hi."

He nodded in reply, not meeting my gaze.

_Would it kill him to be just a tad friendly?_

"No, it won't kill me. I just don't trust you."

Had I said that out loud? _Whoops. _What Squall had said sunk in a moment too late, and before I could say something, Irvine was walking towards the two of us.

He had finished shopping; his gun looked different, as if he'd gotten an extension for it.

"Ready?" he asked. His eyes traveled behind me. "Hey, Squall, updating yer gunblade?"

Squall grunted, not taking his eyes off the display.

Heat rose to my neck. Why did his behaviour bother me so much? I wasn't asking him to be my bff, but did he have to be such a jerk, especially to people who didn't deserve it? What had Irvine done to him anyway? _And Quistis? _

Squall let out a rather dramatic sigh, arms crossed and feet tapping. "Do you two need something?"

"No man, see ya," Irvine motioned for me to walk away, but I shook my head.

"Yeah, you know what, we do need something, Squall. We need you to stop being such an asshole! And-"

"Natasha!" Irvine hissed.

I turned to look at Irvine. His eyes were wide and he shook his head, pointing at the shopkeeper. I gulped, and turned away from the scowling man back to Squall.

One of the few changes in his expression was a slight raise of an eyebrow. His mouth had become a straight, tight line, as if he didn't approve of my outburst. Otherwise, he looked rather bored.

"You and Shiva are a perfect match," I spat. "Made of ice."

The warm afternoon air was a welcome distraction from the grip that had clamped around my throat.  
"What was that all about?" Irvine asked as he stepped out of the shop.

I watched him strap his gun on his back, trying hard not to meet his eyes. "I-"

"Are you two finished?" called Selphie's girly voice, accompanied by loud footsteps on the pavement.

Irvine smiled and tipped his hat, "Yes'm."

"Natasha, you didn't get a weapon?" Quistis asked.

"I, um, didn't really know what to get."

She pulled out her SeeD device. "We still have some time, let's get something."

Irvine stepped in, "Sorry to interrupt, Miss, but could we get some lunch first?" He smiled at me. "I don't know about you ladies, but I'm starvin'!"

Quistis scratched her chin for a few moments.

"That's a great idea!" Selphie clapped her hands. "I'm ravenous!"

"Okay, but we need to hurry," Quistis sighed.

I gave Irvine a grateful smile. There was no way I was ready to face Squall right now.

After a quick lunch at a local café, we stopped at the junk shop again. Thankfully, Squall had long disappeared. I ended up purchasing a pinwheel, the simplest and cheapest model they had. I figured Izzy would need a weapon she had experience with.

We rented a car and were off. I put thoughts of Squall out of my head, chalking up my anger to stress and lack of sleep. What did I care how he acted anyway? It wasn't like I would be around much longer. Life could resume the way it was supposed to, I told myself. Sighing, I snuggled deeper into the leather car seat. Irvine had said the drive would take an hour or so, and a nap was just waiting for me to take it.

"Wake me up when we get there, would you?" I asked Quistis.

The image of her nodding was the last thing in my vision before I fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: Off into the unknown! I can't wait for the next chapter because it'll be the first action-filled one in quite a while. I hope you all liked this chapter! Please take a moment to review. It's incredible motivation, as I'll be writing the upcoming chapters from scratch. As I've previously mentioned, this story is a rewrite, and this is the last chapter I had written out before I decided to rewrite. Updates may be slower than they are right now, but I hope you'll all stick with this story!

Thanks for reading!


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